


Time Reversed

by teacupsandtime



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alpha Will Graham, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Canon-Typical Violence, Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Kid Fic, M/M, Mating Bites, Mpreg, Murder Husbands, Newborn Children, Omega Hannibal Lecter, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Protective Will Graham, Protectiveness, Sexual Content, Snapshots, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vignette, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, both parents are protective mama bears, but they're still cannibal serial killers, cannibal serial killers as parents doing their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:27:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 25,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22167106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacupsandtime/pseuds/teacupsandtime
Summary: Hannibal and Will traverse an unexpected intimate development.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 207
Kudos: 766





	1. The Decision

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a story in the omegaverse. 
> 
> It's a whole new world!

At first, Will had thought it was the change of seasons; the days were shorter, colder. Neither of them were as young as they once were and their bodies bore scars from decades gone by and the very recent past. It seemed perfectly normal – not to mention pleasant – to find Hannibal still in bed with him when he woke. In their time together following their baptism in the Atlantic, Hannibal had always woken before Will despite often surrendering to sleep after him.

Even when they’d slept together only out of necessity, Will would wake to find Hannibal already awake, reading quietly.

That necessity had long since given over to inevitable passion and need and though Will seemed to have properly tired Hannibal out during their first sticky nights together, it had been months since Will had woken to find Hannibal still asleep beside him.

And now, Hannibal was often retiring to their bedroom before him as well. 

Will had slipped under the warm sheets one night and opened his arms as Hannibal unconsciously moved in close, his head coming to rest on Will’s chest. Will had pushed his nose against Hannibal’s silver hair and caught a fleeting sweetness that he hadn’t smelled before. It took him back to sitting barefoot on his porch as a child, watching as his father cut into the first watermelon of the summer.

It wasn’t until Will noticed their meals changing that he suspected that the cause of Hannibal’s fatigue was something else.

When they had finally found a place to settle, Hannibal had been quick to return to making the lavish meals he had in Baltimore, very often with Will’s assistance. Lately, while their meals had been no less ornate, they had been a bit more bland. Hannibal had started cooking with less potent and fragrant ingredients and even then, seemed to be enjoying food far less than he had. When Will had questioned him, he explained that he simply hadn’t been feeling well and declined to elaborate any further.

But as Hannibal’s self-diagnosed illness had yet to show any signs of dissipating, Will found himself searching for other explanations. And there was one that had started to tap so persistently at the back of his mind that he couldn’t stop himself from asking one night as they prepared for bed.

“Are you pregnant?”

It sounded absurd to him, even as he said it.

Though he had stopped taking suppressants years ago, Hannibal hadn’t had a true heat since Will had known him. The last episode which he could have identified as a heat had been over a year ago and had lasted only a single day. And while omegas tended to retain their fertility longer than women, it was very likely that Hannibal’s fertile years were beyond him. Hannibal and Will were also not a mated pair, which further drove the chances of conception down.

Everything about the idea was ridiculous and yet when Hannibal answered, Will wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“Yes.”

Will exhaled and sat on their bed, hands on his thighs.

“How?”

Hannibal gave him a gentle smile.

“I mean … fuck, I don’t know. When were you going to tell me?”

Hannibal slipped off his dressing gown and began to fold it. Will couldn’t stop his eyes from seeking the gentle roundness of Hannibal’s belly. The first time he had noticed the softness there it had shaken him – it made Hannibal seem human in a real way. He wasn’t some monster of folklore or the devil of a multitude of varying religions, but a flesh and blood human who was powerless against his own mortality.

Now when he stared at that tender area between Hannibal’s defined hips he felt a pang of protectiveness that nearly enraged him with how immediate it was.

“When I was sure,” Hannibal added softly. “It is still very early.”

“How early?”

“A little over a month, I would imagine.”

Hannibal put his dressing gown into a drawer and lay on his back on top of their duvet, his head propped up on pillows and his hands folded over his middle. Will turned his body to face him.

“How could this happen?” Will repeated, his voice soft. “I mean, what are the chances?”

“Quite low,” Hannibal answered. “Nearly impossible, I would wager. I had assumed these days were long behind me. Chances are lower still that this pregnancy will carry to term.”

Will swallowed slowly.

“Do you want to?” He asked. “Carry it to term?”

Hannibal pushed back into the pillows at his head and sighed.

“Yes,” he said clearly. “At the core of everything – in spite of all the possible outcomes – I find that I do. It’s foolish – reckless – to both myself and the child. To you. To us. To our lives as we know them. I cannot imagine myself feeling this way under any other circumstances. But the idea of this child belonging to you and I – having been created of you and I – it’s intoxicating.”

As he spoke, his fingertips rubbed against the skin of his belly and Will felt another wave of protectiveness rush through him. Both he and Hannibal took a sort of satisfaction at not falling into a typical alpha and omega relationship (then again what about their courtship had been “normal” to begin with?) but as he sat on a bed with the omega – _his_ pregnant omega - what coursed through Will could only be described as pure alpha pride.

Even with the chances of conception being practically nonexistent, a child had been created from the two of them.

“And you, Will?” Hannibal asked. “What do you want?”

Will shook his head.

“It’s not about me.”

Hannibal tilted his head to the side slightly.

“Of course it is. This child is as much yours as it is mine.”

“The child, yes,” Will acquiesced. “But this isn’t a child. This is potential. And this potential is inside you. It’s going to grow inside _you_. It’s your decision, not mine.”

Hannibal considered Will’s words with a gentle blink of his eyes.

“I would not wish to do this without you, Will,” Hannibal said. “Nor would I wish to do anything to put our current relationship in jeopardy. If you do not want this child then it doesn’t need to be.”

Will sighed and stood to his feet.

“Christ, it’s not that simple,” he said. “It isn’t that I don’t want it. It’s … it’s everything. What about you? Pregnancy is hard enough on the young, this won’t be easy on you. What if -”

Will paused, his vision blurring.

“What if something were to happen to you? After everything we’ve been through what if it’s something we’ve done – something _I’ve done_ to you – that - ”

He didn’t finish his sentence. In his mind he saw Hannibal pale and glistening with sweat. A room spattered with blood and a screaming infant wailing for its dead mother, cradled in the mournful arms of its father who would be reminded of Hannibal’s painful demise every time he looked at their child. Perhaps the birth would kill them both and Will would be left alone in a room smelling of copper.

He would dig a grave large enough for the three of them.

“Will.”

Hannibal’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“Tell me what you want.”

A tear fell down Will’s cheek as he blinked and came to sit back on the bed.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Even assuming everything goes well with the pregnancy and birth … what kind of a life could we give a child? How many different schools would they have to attend? How would they ever make friends? If we were apprehended, what would happen to them? They would end up with strangers who would teach them to hate us, if they even told them about us at all. Or, more likely, at an orphanage for the rest of their childhood. Who would willingly take the spawn of The Chesapeake Ripper and . . . whatever the fuck I am.”

Hannibal leaned forward and placed a soft hand on his arm.

“You are you,” he offered simply. “And I am me. Both of us are living bare, in the open. And it’s beautiful.”

Hannibal took his hand from Will’s arm and held his cheek, his thumb rubbing against the scar there.

“This needn’t be a decision made tonight,” he offered. “Nor tomorrow, nor the next day.”

Will leaned into his touch and pulled Hannibal’s hand away from his face to kiss it.

“For now, let’s sleep.”

Will wiped his eyes and nodded, quickly undressing and slipping under the sheets and into Hannibal’s arms. They didn’t speak anymore that night but Will knew before he surrendered to a fitful slumber that he would tell Hannibal “yes”.

Yes.

In spite of every logical part of his brain screaming at him that this was a terrible, dangerous idea, they would allow the pregnancy to continue. While it was unlikely he could convince Hannibal to see a doctor as an older pregnant omega was bound to stir up gossip, he would allow Will to care for him in any other way he saw fit.

Hannibal would allow himself to be fussed over and coddled.

And he would agree that if at any point the pregnancy threatened Hannibal’s own life, they would end it.

As he lay in Hannibal’s arms, he thought of that potential growing between them.

He thought back to the night Hannibal had asked him what sort of father he would be.

 _This one_ , Will thought as he laid a hand flat over Hannibal’s middle. _This is the sort of father I was meant to be._


	2. The Night Out

“You sure you’re feeling up to this?” Will asked for no less than the third time. “We can stay in and I’ll make us something special.”

Hannibal raised his eyebrows as he continued buttoning his coat.

“Will, if you don’t wish to go, please just say so,” he said as he fastened the final button. “I assure you I’ll be fine on my own but _I am going_. I’m quite eager to get out of the house.”

Will pursed his lips and sighed.

Over the last two months he had barely let Hannibal out of his sight. When Hannibal got up to go to another room, Will would wordlessly follow after a few minutes. Whenever Hannibal made plans to venture out to run errands, Will would insist that he be allowed to go instead. And Hannibal – as promised – did not protest.

To a point.

They had agreed that once the first trimester had passed they would go out to dinner and a movie of Hannibal’s choosing.

Now as Will watched Hannibal smooth out his coat, he recalled that it had been much easier to agree two months ago; his alpha instinct to keep Hannibal home and safe pulled at him nearly every moment of the day. At three months, Hannibal had developed a slightly more pronounced curve in his belly but nothing that would be noticed by a stranger. He was still able to wear his current wardrobe without issue though he tended to favor shirts with more slack.

His scent was an entirely different matter. Everywhere he went Hannibal carried the smell of vanilla and citrus. Sometimes, Will caught what he could only describe as sugar baked into sweet fruits. 

Will hated the idea of Hannibal being out among strangers, among circumstances he couldn’t control. He hated the idea of anyone even _looking_ at him.

As if Hannibal were not more than capable of taking care of himself.

“No, no, I want to,” Will lied. “Let me grab my coat.”  
  
**

Will was on edge all through dinner. He smiled and carried on in polite conversation with their host and server when required but his eyes were constantly wandering and watching. At the small table across from him, Hannibal enjoyed every bite of his meal, his appetite having only recently returned. Just before their dessert arrived, Will watched an alpha with a woman on his arm turn his head and gaze at the back of Hannibal’s head as they passed behind him. The alpha’s nostrils flared slightly and Will found himself gripping the armrest of his chair.

In front of him Hannibal smiled softly and took a sip of his water, not so secretly relishing in the attention.

Will could feel the muscles in his legs twitching, itching to come to his feet. It was then that the alpha at Hannibal’s back met Will’s eyes and then quickly averted them. He reached for the woman who had been dining with him and hurried her towards the door.

Will settled as Hannibal’s smile widened.

**

Their heels clicked together in stride on the cold pavement as they walked down the street. All around them people strolled and hurried to their locations and Will found himself reaching out to brush the tips of his fingers against Hannibal’s coat.

“Will?”

Pulled from his thoughts, the younger man turned his head.

“Hmm?” he hummed. “Sorry, what?”

“I was thinking of a bourguignon for tomorrow night,” Hannibal repeated. “The weather is expected to get close to freezing.”

“Yeah,” Will agreed. “That sounds nice.”

Hannibal smiled.

“Would you care to accompany me to the Farmer’s Market tomorrow morning?” Hannibal continued.

Just as Will was about to respond, he saw Hannibal suddenly pitch forward out of the corner of his eye. He turned to find two young alphas rushing past him in what seemed to be a drunken race.

“Sorry, sorry,” the one who bumped into Hannibal laughed as he continued his jog.

There was a flash of movement at Hannibal’s side and Will was suddenly feet ahead of him, grabbing the man by the nape of his neck and hurling him to the ground. The moment the young alpha’s back struck the pavement, Will was on him, his lips curled back and his eyes rimmed red. The pinned alpha snarled and grabbed for Will’s neck, but was too slow to avoid a blow to the side of his face.

“Hey! What the fuck?!”

The alpha’s companion yelled and curled himself around Will’s back but found himself brushed off in a shocking display of power.

The alpha under him struggled to dislodge Will but was unable, instead using his fingers to grip at the hands that had latched around his neck. His companion was on his back again but Will couldn’t feel anything, couldn’t hear anything.

All he saw was the alpha under him who’d struck Hannibal, who had threatened their child.

He wanted to sink his teeth into his skin and rip his throat out. He wanted to watch him bleed and drag his body home to butcher and carve. He wanted to marinate his flesh and simmer it in Hannibal’s bourguignon. He wanted this alpha’s body to give nourishment to their baby.

“Will!”

Everything in Will’s world slowed and went dark. His ears flooded with the sound of his own slowing breathing as he looked up towards Hannibal’s voice. The omega was standing just feet from him, his features slack and his arm outstretched. The sound of the omega’s plea had halted the movements of all three alphas.

“Will,” Hannibal whined softly. “Please. Come.”

In all of their years together, Hannibal had never used his omega voice – not one time. Now, at the gentle sound of it, all Will wanted to do was soothe him, hold him.

Every ounce of aggression left Will’s body.

He picked himself up off the limp alpha under him and went to Hannibal who clasped the side of Will’s face with his hand.

“Home,” Hannibal said.

The older man was expressionless but Will could sense the anxiety in his body and he was racked with guilt – with shame – at not being able to control himself.

He opened his mouth to apologize only for Hannibal to shake his head before he could.

“Home,” he repeated.

Will swallowed and took Hannibal’s hand as the strange alpha helped his battered friend off the ground. With the chaos over, the injured young man appraised the situation. His eyes were bright red, his chest rising and falling with his furious growls. As the two of them prepared to move in again, the one who Will had assaulted halted, his nostrils flaring as he looked at Hannibal.

He stopped his advancing companion with a flat hand on his friend’s chest.

“I’m sorry,” he said to Hannibal. “We’re sorry.”

The second apology was directed towards Will who nodded and allowed Hannibal to lead him away, the two young alphas making room for them as they passed.

**

The ride back to their home was entirely silent, not a single word passing between the two of them. Hannibal navigated the car down the isolated road back to their home, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel and his breathing deep and deliberate, as though he was trying to keep something held inside him.

Will continued to replay the events of the night over and over in his head.

He was mortified.

Never in his life had he been so out of control of his emotions; he had battered a stranger over an innocent mistake. Unknown alphas tended to give pregnant omegas a wide berth in public, regardless of if their alpha was with them or not; pregnant omegas were fiercely defensive and quick to aggression, second only in severity to their alpha mates.

But Hannibal didn’t look pregnant. In the end, it was only his scent that gave him away.

None of it mattered, Will thought. He’d completely ruined their first night out together in two months. Hannibal had been looking forward to it for weeks and Will hadn’t even been able to keep himself collected long enough for them to see the opening credits of the movie Hannibal had picked out.

Will was pulled from his thoughts as the car engine died and Hannibal opened his door. The omega was quick in his walk to their house, his stride eager. As Will followed, he mentally prepared himself to be admonished only to have Hannibal roughly grab his hand and pull him the final few feet into their home. Will found himself thrown against the door, the force of his back hitting the wood slamming it closed. 

He breathed through his nose as he opened his mouth to let Hannibal in while the omega’s hands worked at the buttons of Will’s coat, undoing them with an uncharacteristic frenzy. Hannibal pulled Will forward enough to get the alpha’s coat off his shoulders, throwing it to the ground before he took his mouth again.

Will gasped at the feel of Hannibal’s hard cock against his thigh as the omega shed his own coat and let it fall to the floor.

“Hannibal,” Will moaned into his ear as Hannibal mouthed along his jaw. “Upstairs. Let’s go to bed.”

Hannibal rocked his hips forward as his hands moved towards Will’s belt.

“No,” he growled in his ear. “Here.”

Will’s belt was pulled free from the loops of his slacks in one violent motion. Hannibal’s mouth and scent – god, his scent – was everywhere. Will wanted to get Hannibal on his back, wanted to push in and lock inside. But he also wanted Hannibal to be comfortable.

“Hannibal,” he said again, reaching to pull Hannibal’s head away from his neck.

Will’s breath was punched out of him when he saw Hannibal’s eyes; they seemed to be nearly solid gold. Hannibal’s forehead was glistening with sweat and his entire body was trembling.

He was utterly and completely gone, as though he were in heat.

Will tangled his hands in Hannibal’s hair as the omega pulled them both to the ground. They collapsed together only feet from the front door. Hannibal moved away just long enough to pull his slacks off – the insides of his thighs glistening – before he came back to straddle Will who had managed to pull his own pants down just below his knees.

Will reached up for Hannibal but found himself pushed back flat to the floor with a forceful hand on his chest. He instead watched as Hannibal lined himself up and sank down onto him in one fluid motion. Will’s hands flew to Hannibal’s hips, his mouth open as Hannibal immediately began to rock. The omega set a brutal pace, his hips snapping forward and back relentlessly as Will clung to him.

“Hannibal,” Will gasped. “Fuck.”

Above him, Hannibal groaned – his lips moving as though he were speaking though no words were said. He leaned down and breathed low into Will’s ear.

“Alpha,” he whined.

Will moaned loudly and gripped Hannibal’s hips harder, rocking up into him.

“Alpha,” he whined again. “Bite.”

Hannibal nuzzled along Will’s jaw, bearing his neck. Will kissed his damp skin, feeling Hannibal’s pulse on his lips. They had both discussed officially mating but had never sensed any urgency in doing so as an alpha and omega mating was largely done to increase their chances of conceiving children, in addition to strengthening their bond.

They had not planned on children and already had a bond deeper than most mated pairs.

But in this moment, with Hannibal wet and hot and all around him, none of that seemed to matter. What _did_ matter was that the omega was beyond himself.

“Hannibal,” Will said. “Hannibal.”

Will looked up at him as their eyes met.

“You’re not lucid,” he said gently. “Do you understand?”

Hannibal closed his eyes and sighed, his head moving with the smallest of nods. Will kissed him as their pace increased again, their breathing echoing off the walls of their entryway. Hannibal pushed their foreheads together as his body clenched, his come roping on Will’s chest as the alpha came with him. Will felt his knot inflate and pushed up and in as deep as he could, locking them together and coating Hannibal’s insides. Hannibal breathed into Will’s ear as he was filled, coming to rest his chest flush against the sticky mess he’d created on Will’s.

After a moment, Will carefully turned them to their sides, spooning up against Hannibal’s back as they waited for their bodies to become their own again. Reaching above him, Will grabbed his discarded coat.

“Head up,” he said.

Hannibal moaned sleepily – still not quite himself - but allowed Will to move his coat under his head as a makeshift pillow. He wrapped his arms tight around Hannibal’s middle, smiling when Hannibal took one of his hands and placed it on the curve where their child was growing. They dozed for a while before Will carefully pulled away, his come seeping out as he did. Hannibal moaned and pushed back against him.

“Let’s go to bed, now.”

After a moment, Hannibal nodded and allowed himself to be lead to their bedroom. They shed the rest of their clothes and crawled under the sheets, sticky and sore. Hannibal settled on his back, his arms tight around Will who came to rest his cheek on his chest.

Will woke sometime later to an empty bed and the smell of cooking meat. Groggily, he climbed out from beneath the sheets and made his way downstairs and to the kitchen. Hannibal was in front of the stove over a small fillet. He had put on only a pair of long, soft pants.

“Did I wake you?” Hannibal asked turning to face him.

The gold from his eyes had gone.

Will shook his head.

“No.”

Hannibal returned to his task as Will took a seat at their small kitchen table.

“I woke to found myself rather peckish but now suspect that my eyes were larger than my appetite. Would you care for some?”

“Yeah, thanks. Smells great.”

Hannibal grinned and sliced the meat, dividing it between two small plates before joining Will at the table. Hannibal took the first bite, humming in satisfaction at the taste.

“There is a small gallery opening on Sunday night,” Hannibal said after he’d swallowed. “I’d love for us to attend. I had such a wonderful time last night.”

Will smiled.


	3. The Introduction

Will drove the final nail into the wood with a satisfied huff and stood to his feet. He’d started constructing the crib in their small outdoor shed last week, as Hannibal was nearing the end of his second trimester. The smell of pine permeated the air as he rubbed his hands together to clear them of wood shavings. With a small smile, Will reached forward and ran his hand down the top bar of the crib.

He turned at the sound of the door opening.

“Hey,” He grinned at Hannibal. “What do you think?”

Hannibal stepped towards him. His thick coat hid his body from the cold but no clothing could conceal his pregnancy any longer. Hannibal stood still next to Will, looking towards the crib but making no move to touch it.

“It’s wonderful,” He said softly.

There was something in his tone that made Will uneasy. After all of these years with Hannibal, he’d learned to read the timbre of his voice, the subtle changes in how the older man held his own body. The Hannibal that stood before him now seemed distracted.

“Is everything okay?” Will asked.

Hannibal swallowed and opened his mouth – seemingly to debate speaking for a moment before he finally did.

“I haven’t felt the baby move,” he said.

Will’s heart stopped.

He looked at Hannibal with his soft brow and gently downturned mouth.

In truth, Will had been growing concerned over the last couple of weeks as Hannibal had failed to alert him to any registered movement of their baby. He knew as Hannibal was nearing the beginning of his third trimester that he should have felt _something_ by now.

A flutter, a quick passing of a limb. Any tiny push of life.

But Will kept his concerns to himself knowing that Hannibal would want to go about this in his own way, which included when to inform Will of milestones.

“What are you thinking?” Will asked gently.

Hannibal looked back towards the crib, his fingertips grazing his stomach.

“I’m thinking that there may be no life inside me,” he said. “That perhaps this journey has come to an end and that it may be best to take steps to remove it.”

It.

That was the first time Hannibal hadn’t referred to the organism inside him as a “child” or “baby”.

Will felt his eyes growing wet.

“I attempted to find a heartbeat with a stethoscope this morning and was unable to locate one.”

In spite of his best efforts, Will felt a tear fall down his face.

He wiped it away quickly.

The unfinished crib seemed to grow, seemed to take up more space in the small room as they spoke.

“I, uh,” Will managed as he cleared his throat. “I know your concerns about seeing a doctor. But what if we made an appointment at a clinic a few towns over? Just … just to see?”

Hannibal nodded slightly.

“Perhaps.”

Will came towards him, placing a hand on the back of his neck. He scented the omega as he came closer, trying to detect any changes in Hannibal’s scent.

He still smelled just as sweet.

“I know this is nothing you don’t already know,” he began. “but pregnancy is different for everyone and especially for older omegas. You’ve never done this before. Your body is doing the most incredible thing and it may still just be … working itself out.”

Hannibal allowed himself a little smile.

“Do you feel like it’s gone?” Will asked.

Hannibal sighed; his brows pulling together in thought.

“No,” he said. “In spite of all logical signs to the contrary.”

Will nodded and kissed the corner of his mouth.

“Let’s go inside,” Will said. “Are you hungry?”

Hannibal shook his head but took Will’s outstretched hand as they walked back into their home.

**

The air around them was uneasy the following morning. Will had spent the previous night close to Hannibal’s side. Hannibal was not one to be led by instinct or emotion but he found himself overwhelmed that evening. After dinner, as they sat on the couch watching a documentary Will had selected, the omega had pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head in Will’s lap without a word.

Hannibal didn’t weep nor speak nor move for nearly two hours and Will continued to softly run his fingers through his hair long after the screen had gone black.

Neither of them had slept well and now faced the new day with heavy hearts and eyes.

“Why don’t you sit,” Will offered as he pulled the eggs from the refrigerator. “Let me make you breakfast today.”

Hannibal ignited the burner under the skillet and reached for a bowl to crack the eggs into.

“I would prefer to do it myself if you don’t mind.”

Will nodded and placed the eggs on the counter before rounding their kitchen island and sitting on one of their high stools. He reached for his tablet and began to browse the news, watching Hannibal out of the corner of his eye as he worked. Hannibal had just placed four strips of bacon onto a pan when he stopped on his way to the spice rack. Will looked up to find Hannibal standing stock still, seemingly oblivious to the sizzling meat and eggs around him.

“Hannibal?”

When Hannibal didn’t respond, Will placed his tablet on the counter and stood.

“Hannibal, are you okay?”

He watched as Hannibal placed a large hand flat on his belly, moving it slightly before pausing.

“ _Labas_ ,” he grinned softly.

He looked up at Will and extended his hand which Will took without saying a word. Will held his breath as Hannibal guided his hand over his body before stopping and pressing down. Will gasped as he felt a tiny flutter. And then another. And then another.

“Do you feel her?” Hannibal asked.

Will nodded, a single tear falling with the downward tilt of his head. He laughed and flattened his hand as much as he could, delighting in the small movements.

Their baby was alive.

“Her?” he asked.

“A feeling,” Hannibal explained as he gripped Will’s hand tightly.

Their daughter was alive.

Will wiped at his eyes as Hannibal released him, turning to shut off the gas and move their ruined breakfast off of the burner. After the excitement of the morning had settled, Hannibal sat on the stool Will had previously been using as the alpha prepared them a plate of beignets. The omega watched as Will carefully fried the dough, inhaling the sweet smell.

“We have yet to discuss possible names,” Hannibal said to Will’s back. 

Will grinned as he continued to work, moving the donuts to a plate once they were fried.

“I don’t know,” Will said. “Did you have any names in mind?”

“If you have no objection I would like for her to take my sister’s name as her middle,” Hannibal said.

“Of course not,” Will responded. “What about a first name?”

“I should like for it to come from your side of the family.”

“Eh, that’ll be difficult,” Will said. “No sisters and I never knew my mom.”

Will plated the final beignet and began to shake powdered sugar over them.

“It need not be a blood relation,” Hannibal offered.

Will placed the hot pastries between them and took a seat on the opposite side of Hannibal. 

“When I was growing up, there was a woman who lived down the street who used to take care of me when Dad went to work,” Will began. “We couldn’t afford to pay her but she watched over me anyway and always sent me home with a full stomach. Her name was Bernadette. She was the closest thing I had to a mother.”

Hannibal smiled and took a small bite, licking sugar from his lips.

“Bernadette is a lovely name,” he said. “And her last?”

Will huffed.

“The Graham name doesn’t mean anything to me,” he said. “At least if she’s a Lecter she’d be the heir to your fancy title and estate, right?”

“The official Lecter title is likely defunct and she would need to be an alpha to officially inherit,” Hannibal said. “But in theory, yes.”

Will laughed. They knew it didn’t matter. Their daughter would of course have a bevy of birth certificates and passports all with different identities but it pleased Hannibal to think that she would carry his family name, if only in secret. 

After breakfast, Hannibal retired to their bedroom to rest while Will cleaned the kitchen before heading back out to the shed. He reached forward and touched the smooth wood of the crib again, looking down at the flat boards that would hold a tiny mattress.

A tiny mattress that would hold Bernadette Mischa Lecter as she slept.

Will reached for the bucket of wood stain and picked up his brush. He slowly painted the chestnut color on the wood slates and wondered if it would match her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> labas // hello


	4. The Alpha and The Omega

It was during the final week of Hannibal’s seventh month that Will noticed the change in the décor of their home. Hannibal had started to fill empty spaces and surfaces with soft, plush pillows, blankets, and throws. This was especially true of their bedroom and the room across the hall which was to serve as Bernadette’s nursery.

Will had moved the finished crib into that gentle space after painting the walls with Hannibal’s selected pale yellow. Together they’d selected a changing table, couch, and rocking chair – everything in soft shades of yellow and white, save for the large stuffed grey elephant that resided in the corner.

In their bedroom was an oval shaped bassinet, constructed of dark wood and draped in white fabric. Under its delicate canopy hung a mobile of tiny, plush stars and a moon.

Everything was in its place, ready and waiting.

“There is a small, string orchestra preforming outdoors tomorrow night,” Hannibal said as Will stripped down to join him in bed one night. “Sounds like a rather intimate event and the weather looks to be spectacular. I’d very much like for us to attend.”

Much to Will’s delight, Hannibal started to favor quiet days and nights at home over the last month, preferring to stay close to where he had planned to give birth – where he felt safe. However, aside from their first tumultuous night out together following their baby’s conception, their select journeys into town had been blissfully without incident.

Now that Hannibal was visibly pregnant, people gave he and Will their space – not daring to come too close. And while Hannibal found it patronizing to be fussed over in public by strangers who nearly tripped over themselves to open doors for him or stand to offer them their seat, he tolerated it with polite silence. And though Hannibal’s age did garner them some second glances, any comments were kept well out of his earshot. 

Will knew that while part of the omega did truly enjoy the sanctity of their home, he did also miss the outside world.

He missed social life.

He missed hunting.

“Sure,” Will said as he slipped into bed next to him. “If you’re feeling up to it, that would be nice.”

Hannibal moved to shut off the light with a small grunt.

“She does certainly favor these twilight hours,” he said as he settled onto his back.

Will smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on Hannibal’s belly, immediately being rewarded with several strong kicks.

“She’s eager,” he said as he leaned in closer, coming to rest his ear against Hannibal’s skin.

“As am I for a decent night’s sleep,” Hannibal responded, his fingers coming to rest in Will’s hair.

“Did you hear that?” Will asked into Hannibal’s middle. “No more of that tonight.”

In response to the alpha’s voice, the baby offered another solid kick to the shell of Will’s ear. It was often theorized that alpha and omega children responded to the sound of their alpha parent’s voice even while in utero and Will found himself enrapt at the idea that he and their baby had formed a small bond even before she’d been born.

“Are you scared?” Will asked, keeping his head resting against Hannibal’s belly. “About the delivery?”

Hannibal continued to rub his fingers through Will’s hair. As difficult as childbirth was for women, it was notably more complicated for omegas. As their due date grows closer, their hips begin to widen to allow the baby passage, often causing a dull, persistent pain that can last weeks or even throughout the duration of their final month. Though, if Hannibal was experiencing any of these aches he kept it entirely to himself.

Following the birth, many omegas find themselves to be so exhausted that they cannot get out of bed, sleeping for days and days on end while their bodies return to their normal physical state.

During this time, they crave to be close to their newborn and will often only wake from their sleep if an attempt to move the child is detected, even by their fathers for feedings and changing. This marks another benefit to expected parents being mated as the omega partner will be less likely to unconsciously lash out at their alpha counterpart.

“I’m not frightened, no,” Hannibal answered softly. “Though I am nervous. Or, perhaps anxious is a better word.”

Will pushed his nose into Hannibal’s stomach and pressed a kiss there before moving to lay beside him.

“Do you remember that night we came home from dinner when I … lost my temper?”

Hannibal grinned.

“Very well.”

Will playfully rolled his eyes.

“We never really did talk more about what came up,” Will said. “About mating.”

The memory of Hannibal wild and grinding against him, eyes shining gold, and begging Will to bite him was just as fresh and hot in his mind now as it had been when it had first happened. Though it had nearly killed him, Will had pulled away – not wanting to undertake such a thing unless Hannibal was fully cognizant of what he was asking.

“Have you given it more thought?” Hannibal asked.

“I have,” Will answered. “I know that it’s … traditional. It seems silly to try and condense our relationship down to just ‘alpha’ and ‘omega’. But I think with her nearly here that it could be beneficial. I know it can help with labor pains, to have your alpha near you. And it will make caring for her while you recover easier.”

“This is true,” Hannibal agreed as he leaned in to nuzzle along Will’s jaw.

Will closed his eyes as Hannibal pressed his lips against his neck. There had been a marked increase in both the frequency and fervor of their fucking as Hannibal’s pregnancy had progressed. Will had tried to hold back initially out of fear of hurting him or the baby – tried to fend off Hannibal’s increasing advances or slow their pace when he couldn’t – but those days were long gone.

As codependent as they had been with one another before the conception they were now insatiable. They could hardly bear to be in separate rooms anymore as both of them felt a need to be closer as the baby’s arrival drew near; Will was eager to provide Hannibal with anything he may want from an additional pillow to a massage of swelling ankles and Hannibal keenly accepted them. The omega would never, ever allow himself to be coddled by anyone but the father of their baby and allowing himself to be fussed over brought about a heavy, languid comfort.

“Do you want to be my mate, Hannibal?”

Hannibal nipped at Will’s earlobe.

“Is that a proposal?”

Will tipped his head back further into the pillow and ran his arm up and around Hannibal’s shoulders.

“It is.”

Will pulled away with a huff so that he and Hannibal were face to face, laying on their sides. He trailed his fingers around Hannibal’s high cheek bones and pressed their bodies together. Between them, the baby kicked hard enough for Will to feel it against his torso.

“And is that a ‘yes’?” Will said, his hand trailing down to Hannibal’s stomach.

“It is,” Hannibal said softly. “Yes, Will.”

**

Rather than consummate their official union that night, they opted to wait until the following evening, after the performance. Knowing what was to come later that night left them both excited and eager as they walked hand and hand towards the venue. They opted for two seats in the back, Hannibal leaning into Will’s shoulder as he listened to the well-practiced strings and despite the eyes that occasionally looked their way, Will found himself able to relax into the music as well.

This was also because - in spite of his vigilance - Will had not noticed the well-built, middle aged alpha watching them out of his peripheral vision. This was no fault of Will’s; this alpha was very careful – practiced - only barely turning his neck and shifting his eyes every so often in their direction.

Waiting.

No doubt for the moment when Will left Hannibal’s side.

When the performance concluded, he got his chance.

Will waited until most of the other concert goers had left before leaving Hannibal at his seat while he went to the restroom. The moment Will disappeared from sight, the strange alpha stood and moved towards Hannibal. The omega remained seated, his hands folded on his belly and eyes cast upwards.

“Good evening,” Hannibal said.

It was remarkable that anyone – especially an alpha – would approach a pregnant omega so brazenly and Hannibal couldn’t help but be curious.

“Hello,” the alpha answered. “May I sit?”

“I would argue that you hardly have the time,” Hannibal responded. “Considering you were waiting for my alpha to leave before you approached me.”

The man shook his head.

“He isn’t your alpha,” he said arrogantly. “He’s probably not even the father, is he?”

Despite his curiosity, Hannibal’s patience had quickly become razer thin. While most alphas would never dare to approach a pregnant omega, some unmated alphas would seek out omegas which they deemed to be in less than desirable situations.

Omegas who were pregnant and not mated, for instance.

Hannibal being older only bolstered his idea that he was in need of saving.

The alpha cast a quick glance over Hannibal’s shoulder before looking at him again.

“I’ll make this short,” he said. “You’re not mated. That baby you’re carrying was probably an accident. You’re scared, you feel alone. You’re eager to latch onto any alpha who shows interest so you don’t have to go through it by yourself. But you can do better than that slight, little alpha who’s with you. I can take care of you. I can give you the kind of life you deserve.”

Which was undoubtedly confined solely to the alpha’s home, Hannibal thought. A pretty prize to be shown off to his friends.

The alpha reached into his back pocket for his wallet and produced a business card which he shoved in Hannibal’s face.

“I don’t want to cause a scene,” he said. “But think about it. I’ll help you raise that child. I’ll give you more. I’ll give you a life you deserve.”

Leaving one hand on his belly, Hannibal reached to take his card.

“Think about it,” the alpha said as he turned and walked away.

Hannibal scanned over the card.

David. CEO of a technical security team.

He ran his fingers over the card before placing it in the inside pocket of his coat. While anger simmered in his core, he felt an old excitement – a craving that he hadn’t indulged since he’d fallen pregnant.

But there would be time.

Just as David had waited for the right moment, so would he.

He smiled as he felt Will’s warm hands on his neck.

“Can I take you home?”

Hannibal tipped his head back and accepted Will’s kiss to his forehead.

“Yes, Will.”

They made idle chatter during short drive back to their home. Hannibal never mentioned the vulgar alpha who’d approached him, knowing it would sour the rest of their night. Instead he moved the business card from his coat to his dresser, laying several layers of folded shirts on top of it.

When the time was right, he would tell Will.

Perhaps they would hunt him together.

Will stripped his clothes and helped Hannibal do the same before they fell into bed together. Their hands and lips roamed and collided until they were both panting into each other. Will maneuvered them to their sides, him pressed against Hannibal’s back.

“Are you ready?”

Hannibal pushed back against him in response, the slickness between his legs warm and welcoming. With a hand on Hannibal’s shoulder, Will slowly pushed inside. They gasped as they adjusted, working together in a steady rhythm. As Hannibal’s breathing intensified, Will reached down to grab at his cock, working it in time with his thrusts. When Hannibal came, Will sank his teeth into the back of his neck, his lips sucking hard at the blood that spurted forward. The feeling of Hannibal’s body clenching around him and the sweet sound the omega – his omega – made as he climaxed pushed Will over as well. He buried himself in as deep as he could, locking them together as he continued to worry his teeth over Hannibal’s neck.

Eventually, Will pulled his teeth back but kept his lips pressed against Hannibal’s broken skin, sucking and kissing. They lay still together until they were able to separate, falling onto their backs and soon into a deep sleep.

As they drifted, their minds were consumed with the same, single thought.

 _Mine_.


	5. The Arrival, Part One

Will woke in the early morning with the distinct awareness that he was alone. He turned and ran his hand down Hannibal’s side of the bed, frowning when he found it to be empty and cold. He placed his bare feet on the floor and stepped into the hallway, following the light under the cracked door of the nursery. He pushed it open and found Hannibal arranging the pillows on the small couch against the wall.

“Hey,” Will said gently.

Hannibal seemed not to hear him as he continued moving the pillows around the couch, furrowing his brow when he appeared to not be able to find a configuration that he liked.

“Hannibal,” Will said as he reached for him.

The omega startled slightly at the touch, turning to face him with wide eyes.

“Are you okay?”

Hannibal’s eyes slowly focused on him as he nodded once.

“Yes,” he said. “Contractions have started.”

Will’s lips parted though he made no sound. Over the last two weeks, Hannibal had been experiencing false labor pains and though Will had been concerned, Hannibal seemed confident in knowing when those pains were genuine.

Which was now.

“Okay,” Will responded calmly.

They had their plan – had gone over every little detail for weeks – but now that Will found himself faced with the imminent arrival of their daughter he found it difficult to focus.

“What can I do?” he asked.

Hannibal placed a hand on his belly, his eyes narrowing slightly as a contraction hit him.

“Wait,” he answered. “With me.”

And they did.

When the pain had passed, Hannibal found himself laughing under his breath.

“I’m hungry,” he answered when Will questioned him.

Will took his hand and led Hannibal downstairs and towards the kitchen, pleased when he offered to cook up a small filet for him to have Hannibal accept. The omega sat at their breakfast table and watched as Will prepared his food, as he seasoned what was likely to be the last meal their baby would have while she was still inside him. Will prepared a small amount of pasta and plated it next to the meat, which he placed in front of Hannibal.

“Thank you.”

Will smiled and sat next to him, watching as he ate.

“Does it hurt?”

Hannibal hummed as he swallowed.

“Not so much,” he responded. “As she grows more persistent, so will the pain.”

Will nodded.

“I know that you didn’t want me to ask you again but, well, I’m asking you again,” he said. “Are you sure you won’t want anything for the pain?”

“Yes,” Hannibal responded. “It’s important that you and I are both lucid. And I need to be able to feel everything to ensure all is progressing as it should.”

Will watched as Hannibal finished his food, smiling in satisfaction and leaning back slightly in his chair.

“Okay,” Will said.

Will cleared Hannibal’s plate and set about to washing it as Hannibal moved to their living room, laying on his back on the couch with his hands folded high on his middle. When Will came to join him with slightly damp hands, he found Hannibal’s eyes closed as he concentrated on the contraction that moved through him. Will watched the omega’s face as it passed, Hannibal’s eyes opening to find his with a soft smile.

Will came to his knees to the side of the couch, resting his cheek against the cushion as Hannibal moved a hand through his hair.

Over the next several hours Will did everything he could to make Hannibal more comfortable. He rubbed his shoulders, got him water, and helped him to his feet when the omega wanted to walk around their home. Hannibal had not commented on the level of pain he was in but his expression – however slight it may have seemed to an outsider – made it obvious.

As they approached the eighth hour of labor, Hannibal sank to his knees from where he’d been standing.

“Hey,” Will breathed as he quickly came to the rug with him.

Hannibal’s face was red and slick with sweat; his breathing labored.

“Upstairs,” he managed through nearly clenched teeth. “She will be here very soon.”

Will nodded feverishly.

“Okay,” Will said gently as he helped Hannibal back to his feet. “Okay. I have you.”

Hannibal leaned heavily into him as they slowly made their way up the stairs and into their bedroom. Just before they reached the door, Hannibal cried out and gripped tightly at his belly. With tears in his eyes Will rubbed at Hannibal’s back, forcing himself to purr in an effort to soothe his mate in any way he could. It was several long minutes before the pain granted Hannibal a brief reprieve and he was able to sink on all-fours into the large, soft birthing nest at the foot of their bed.

It was not but a moment later that another tremendous contraction racked him and he cried out again.

Will felt his heart being torn in half.

“Hannibal,” he whispered as he shifted close to him. “Please, what can I do?”

Unable to answer, Hannibal reached out and gripped tightly at the front of Will’s shirt, pulling their foreheads together as he breathed loudly and deliberately against him. 

“Help me undress,” he strained. “Please.”

Will huffed at the politeness, quickly moving to do as Hannibal had asked before stripping down to his own boxers. Will positioned himself behind Hannibal, his bare chest pressed against his back and legs on either side of him as he held Hannibal to him. He felt Hannibal’s entire body tense as the omega reached to clasp at Will’s hands which were locked around his chest.

“Will,” he whimpered. “This is unbearable.”

Will never imagined that he would ever see Hannibal Lecter in so much pain that he didn’t have control over it. He didn’t know what to do, and he didn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Will said close to his ear. “I’m so sorry.”

It was the first time the alpha had ever called his mate by a pet name but in this moment it seemed so natural.

“I can’t bare it,” Hannibal whined, his voice tugging at Will’s very veins. 

Will tightened his hold around Hannibal’s chest.

“You can, you can,” he assured him as he kissed his mating bite. “You can.”

Hannibal bared his neck for Will’s lips and sighed. Will continued to hold him as contraction after contraction violently tore through him. Will had no idea how much time passed as he held to his mate, purring into his ear and sucking at the scar at his sweat covered nape, before Hannibal moved to shove him away.

“She’s here,” Hannibal managed between breaths. “She’s here, Will.”

Will nodded his head and moved to kneel between Hannibal’s open legs. He placed his hands on Hannibal’s knees. He could just make out a small tuff of dark hair.

“I can see her,” Will said, tears slipping down his cheeks.

Hannibal’s features scrunched tightly as he bore down, struggling to remember to breathe. Will watched in astonishment as the spot of hair suddenly burst forth, revealing tiny ears, a little nose. With anxious hands he reached forward and carefully took hold of an impossibly small shoulder.

“Hannibal,” Will gasped. “Give me your hands.”

Hannibal extended his hands down between his legs, gasping as Will positioned them on their daughter’s slick shoulders.

“She’s right here,” Will said, moving his hands to Hannibal’s forearms. “She’s so close.”

Wordlessly, Hannibal gave a final push and birthed their daughter into his own waiting hands. He gasped as he pulled her up from between his legs and placed her on his chest which was rising and falling with his labored breaths. Will stared at the blood blue cord that still attached them.

A moment ago, there had been two people in the room.

And now there were three.

Will rocked back on his heels and brought his hands to his face, heaving great sobs into his palms as their daughter’s first tiny cries filled the room. 

“Will.”

Hannibal’s voice was light and exhausted.

When Will looked up, Hannibal was cradling their baby to his chest with one hand and extending his other hand out towards him. The alpha crawled on his hands and knees towards his mate and newborn, taking Hannibal’s hand and moving to sit beside him. He reached forward and carefully touched the baby’s little, angry face as she cried.

“Holy shit,” Will laughed. “Hannibal … holy shit.”

Hannibal laughed with him as he held their daughter close, leaning in to press his nose to her forehead.

“Let’s get her clean and warm.”

After a moment, Will climbed to his feet and moved on shaky legs to the bathroom, filling a small bowl with warm water and throwing tiny, soft towels over his shoulder. He listened to Hannibal gently soothe her in Lithuanian until her cries died down into soft grunts. Hannibal’s eyes never left their daughter as Will cleaned her small body before cutting the cord that still attached her to his mate.

Hannibal relinquished his protective hold on her while they carefully wrapped a diaper around their daughter’s bottom before swaddling her in a gentle cloth. Will placed a cotton cap over her head before settling her back into Hannibal’s arms.

They needed to examine her, be sure that everything was as okay as it seemed. They needed to see to Hannibal, to make sure the placenta was delivered and he was also doing as well as he seemed to be. There was so much that needed to be done and yet nothing could have pulled either of them away from this moment.

Hannibal brushed his fingertips against a soft, pink cheek.

“ _Labas_ , Bernadette.”


	6. The Arrival, Part Two

“She has your mouth,” Will said gently as he studied his daughter’s face. “And your nose.”

Hannibal grinned as Bernadette grunted, moving her arms around within the confines of the swaddling cloth.

“Your eyes,” Hannibal added. “Both the shape and color. And your hair.”

Will smiled as he touched a tiny, dark curl peaking out from the soft cap on their baby’s head.

“That could change,” he said. “As she gets older.”

“I hope not,” Hannibal responded. “She’d be quite the beauty.”

“She’ll be quite the beauty regardless,” Will corrected. “She already is.”

In Hannibal’s arms, Bernadette’s features screwed tight, her face flushing as she started to fuss.

“She’ll be hungry,” Hannibal said. “Would you prepare her bottle and bring it here?”

“Of course,” Will answered.

Before he rose, he kissed his daughter on her forehead – inhaling her scent – before turning and kissing Hannibal firmly. There were so many things he wanted to say, a million different thoughts and emotions running through him. In the end, what came out of his mouth was a ‘thank you’ against Hannibal’s lips.

Hannibal exhaled against him and kissed his mate again before Will stood and went to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle, casting a quick look to the covered bowl that held Hannibal’s placenta. When he returned, he found his mate leaned further into the pillows at his back and working with obvious effort to keep his eyes open.

“Let’s get her fed and get you in bed,” Will said.

The recovery process for omegas following giving birth was arduous; as their bodies – including the width of their hips – returned to their natural state, the vast majority of omegas found themselves too exhausted to get out of bed, often sleeping for days. This time was often very challenging for the newborn’s father as they wanted to care for their baby but also needed to work around their mate’s fierce and sometimes violent instinct to protect their infant even in sleep. Very often, the omega partner would refuse to even allow their alpha into their nest which meant the omega would have to tend for their baby on their own, drawing out the recovery time for the omega.

While Hannibal and Will had discussed plans, they had no way of knowing how Hannibal would react once the moment was upon them.

“Do you want to shower?”

Hannibal opened his eyes wider at the sound of Will’s voice.

“Mmm,” he hummed. “Very much.”

Placing the bottle on the nearby table, Will leaned down to take his daughter. He placed her in the crook of his arm as Hannibal passed her to him. Gently, he moved his arm up and down, feeling her slight weight; a new human life created of him and Hannibal, supported entirely between his elbow and palm. In that moment, Will knew that he would do anything for her, to keep her safe, to keep her loved, and to keep her healthy.

When he looked back to Hannibal, the omega was looking up at him with a proud grin.

Will offered Hannibal his free hand and carefully helped him to his feet. Hannibal took his time, being careful to steady himself. His inner thighs were slick with blood. Will slipped an arm around his back and helped him to the bathroom.

Bernadette started to fuss loudly as Hannibal turned on the water.

“Will you feed her in here?” Hannibal asked. “The steam will help clear her nasal passages.”

 _And I’m not ready to let her out of my sight_ , Will added internally.

“Of course,” Will said.

The alpha waited until Hannibal had stepped into the shower, closing the door behind him before he retrieved the bottle and sat on the small stool across from the sink. The baby quickly latched onto the rubber nipple, her eyes squinting against the light as she sucked the formula down.

“How is she taking it?”

“Well,” Will answered. “She latched on right away. Seems she has her mother’s appetite.”

“Let’s hope not,” Hannibal responded from the other side of the shower door. “If that’s the case she’ll be quite fussy.”

“I’d expect nothing else,” Will said as he tilted the bottle slightly up.

By the time Hannibal had finished his shower, their daughter was nearing the end of her meal. Knowing he would want Bernadette close, Will followed Hannibal out of the steamy bathroom as he went slowly into the bedroom. Hannibal pulled on a pair of long pants and held his arms out.

“May I?”

Will pulled Bernadette up to his face and kissed her forehead, grinning as she squirmed. He passed her over to Hannibal who placed her upright against his chest with her head over his shoulder. Hannibal gently pat her back, encouraging her to burp. He praised her softly once she did and sat on the bed with her in his arms.

“You need to sleep,” Will said, coming to sit beside him.

Hannibal hummed in agreement.

“It’s hard to let her go,” he said. “It feels strange to not have her inside me any longer.”

The omega cast a quick glance down at his swollen stomach before looking back to the newborn.

“She feels vulnerable,” he continued. “Outside of me. As do I having her here, in my arms and not within me.”

Will nuzzled into the side of Hannibal’s neck. It was strange to hear Hannibal being so honest about his emotions, especially to admit that he felt exposed. Will pressed his lips into Hannibal’s skin and reached down to touch their daughter’s little fist.

“Ten fingers,” he whispered, his chin propped up on Hannibal’s shoulder. “Ten tiny little fingernails. Doesn’t seem possible, does it? That something so small and perfect could exist?”

Hannibal watched Bernadette wrap her entire hand around Will’s finger.

“There, luck may have been on our side,” Hannibal said. “My father had six fingers on his left hand.”

Will huffed into his skin.

“Did he?”

Hannibal nodded.

“He did,” he confirmed. “A trait that was not passed down to either myself nor Mischa. Seems it skips more than two generations.”

Will ran his thumb up and over their daughter’s soft skin as she yawned.

“Let’s get her to bed,” he said. “You too.”

Hannibal swallowed thickly and stood to his feet, placing Bernadette in the center of her bassinet near his side of the bed which he shared with Will. He stared at her for a long moment before he pulled back the duvet and slipped under the sheets. A lengthy, exhausted sigh escaped his lips the moment his head hit the pillow.

“Can I get you anything?”

Hannibal nodded slowly and held out his hand. Will hesitated a moment before taking it and crawling under the sheets with him. It was customary for alphas to wait for an invitation to join their omega in their nest after birth and even then, they needed to be alert as their exhausted partners could instinctually attack them in a misguided effort to protect their newborn.

But at this moment, Hannibal wanted nothing more than the feel of his mate at his back and Will was in no position to deny him anything.

They settled against each other, listening to the sweet sounds of Bernadette cooing herself to sleep until they also fell into a slumber.

It was around two hours later that Will awoke to the sounds of Bernadette fussing loudly. He stirred instantly and looked down to Hannibal who continued to sleep. Carefully, he removed his arms from his mate and got out of bed. He approached the bassinette and reached down for his daughter.

“Shh,” he whispered into the tiny shell of her ear as he carried her out of the room.

As they approached the kitchen, her cries became louder, her face red. With her in the crook of his arm, Will retrieved a new bottle from the refrigerator and warmed it.

“Shh, baby girl,” he said. “Papa needs to sleep.”

When the bottle was ready, Will took it and placed it to her mouth, grateful when she took it and her cries ceased.

“That’s better,” he said.

He listened to the gentle smack of her suckling, mesmerized by all the tiny features of her face.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” he whispered to her. “Your mother and I never planned for this – for you. The idea of having children … it used to scare me so much.”

In his arms, Bernadette gurgled.

“But then I met your mother and that – well, that’s a long story for another time. But when he told me about you, I wanted you so badly, even though I was still so scared. I want to give you everything I can, baby girl. I can’t say that we’ll have the most normal life. But your mother and I will always keep you safe and warm.”

His daughter’s eyes struggled to focus on him as he spoke.

“I love you so much,” Will continued, his voice growing thick. “I can’t believe how much I love you.”

Will felt a tear roll down his cheek which he wiped away just as Bernadette finished her bottle. He moved to raise her up against his chest when he heard hurried footsteps coming down the hall.

“ _Ne, ne,_ ” Hannibal muttered as he staggered into the kitchen.

“Hannibal,” Will said, his hand cradling the back of their baby’s head.

“ _Kur ji?_ ” he said with wide, unfocused eyes. “ _Kur ji_?!”

“Hannibal,” Will repeated, carefully taking a step towards him. “Hannibal, she’s here. She’s right here.”

Hannibal’s posture loosened as he turned towards the sound of Will’s voice, approaching him with his arms outstretched.

“She’s okay,” Will said gently as he handed her to him. “She was just hungry.”

“Mano mažasis,” he said as he clutched her to his chest. “ _Aš tave praradau. Aš atsiprašau._ ”

“Hanni-”

Will was cut short by the force of Hannibal’s palm violently shoving him away. His hips collided with the counter behind him, shaking the glasses drying there.

Bernadette screamed at the commotion, her nostrils filling with the scent of her enraged mother.

“No!” Hannibal yelled at Will, his eyes gold.

The omega turned and carried their wailing daughter away and back into the bedroom.

“Hannibal,” Will said. “Hannibal, please.”

Will arrived at the bedroom door just in time to have it slammed in his face. He leaned his forehead against the wood, listening to the sounds of Hannibal consoling their terrified daughter in Lithuanian.

He never should have taken her out of the nest.

Their newborn baby was screaming in fear and it was all his fault.

After what seemed like an eternity, Bernadette’s cries stopped and he heard the rustle of the sheets as Hannibal got back into bed. He pressed his hand against the door but didn’t dare push it open. Instead, Will found himself falling asleep with his back against the opposite wall, not wanting to be in another room should Hannibal need anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ne // No
> 
> Kur ji? // where is she?
> 
> Mano mažasis. Aš tave praradau. Aš atsiprašau. // My little one. I lost you. I'm sorry.


	7. The Gift

Will remained seated on the floor across from the closed threshold of their bedroom, back pressed against the wall, until his eyes could no longer focus on the wood in front of him and his lids drifted closed.

At the sound of the lock clicking, Will’s eyes snapped open and he came to his feet, muttering a curse as he stumbled on numb legs. 

“Will?”

Hannibal was standing in the threshold with their baby in his arms, looking to Will with his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

“Were you sleeping out here?”

Will looked at him, at Bernadette, and quickly realized that Hannibal had no memory of what had taken place; no idea that he’d forced Will out of the nest.

Hannibal bounced the infant in his arms, his eyes clearing with a slow realization.

“Last night, I dreamed of Mischa,” he said. “We were children, getting ready to sleep and when I turned to wish her ‘good night’ she was gone. Our parents were gone. I was all alone. I searched and searched inside the house and out – I can still feel the way my heart pounded. When I found her, she was with a man I couldn’t see. His face was a mask of shadows. I tore her from him and shoved him away.”

Will sighed, his body tired and filling with emotion as he listened to Hannibal speak.

“Was that not all a dream?” Hannibal asked. “Did I attack you last night?”

Will smiled sadly and came to him, his finger tracing over Bernadette’s cheek. He had felt his separation from her as a physical ache, though it had only been a couple of hours.

“You did,” he said. “I had taken her to feed her. I wasn’t thinking, I just wanted you to sleep. By the time she’d finished her bottle, you were awake and wide-eyed. You were speaking but in Lithuanian.”

Hannibal swallowed; his eyes falling gently, almost as though he were ashamed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Truly. I never thought myself to be the sort to be led by emotions nor instincts and it was not my intention to drive you away.”

Will could feel the emotion running through his mate, his genuine guilt. While it was traditional for omegas to spend more time with children and specifically with newborns than alphas, they both found that customary behavior to be absurd and damaging for both the parents and the child. Will wanted to be with Bernadette as much as he possibly could, he wanted to be an equal co-parent, and Hannibal wanted that for him.

They both fully intended to raise their daughter together without either of them bearing the stress of childrearing any more than the other and, likewise, sharing in the joyous moments as equal partners as well.

And now, so early into their daughter’s life, Hannibal felt that he had denied that to Will.

“It’s alright,” Will responded. “Neither one of us has done this before. There is no way to know for certain what lies ahead of us.”

Hannibal nodded and shifted Bernadette in his careful hold.

“Would you care to feed her?”

Will smiled and held out his arms.

“Very much.”

Hannibal handed Bernadette to her father and followed them both to the kitchen. Once her bottle was ready, he took a seat opposite Will and watched their baby eagerly drink the formula down.

“How are you feeling?” Will asked, catching Hannibal’s gaze.

“Stronger,” he answered. “Still quite tired. Still feeling quite empty. I didn’t anticipate that; how much I would miss having her inside me.”

“I understand,” Will answered.

And they both knew he did.

They sat there together, listening to the sounds of their daughter suckling – her little hands clenching into fists.

“When she’s done, will you join us back in the bedroom?” Hannibal asked.

Will grabbed gently at one of Bernadette’s fists, unfurling it to stick his finger under hers.

“Is that a good idea?” Will asked.

Hannibal sighed and slowly blinked; Will could tell that his exhaustion was quickly coming back to him.

“I do,” Hannibal answered, voice growing heavy. “And I want you to.”

There was a barely contained whine behind Hannibal’s words. It was subtle, but it pulled at Will regardless. He looked down at the baby in his arms, curious to see if she was effected by her mother’s sweet voice, but if Bernadette was in any way moved, she didn’t show it. Instead, she pulled away from the rubber nipple of the bottle and closed her eyes.

“If I could impose on you to care of her in the room,” Hannibal added. “I should think that I could keep myself under control. Please.”

Will placed Bernadette against his chest and ran his hand up and down her small back, patting as he did.

“Yes,” Will agreed. “I would love that.”

Hannibal slowly came to his feet.

“If you have things in hand, I think I’ll go back to bed.”

Will stood as Hannibal did, cradling the back of their daughter’s head in his hand; he took a moment to feel her fine hair against his skin, amazed that the entirety of her skull was able to rest against his palm.

“I do,” Will said. “We’ll be in soon.”

Hannibal nodded and turned on hesitant feet to walk back towards the nest. Will could tell that he was struggling to let Bernadette out of his sight.

“Very soon,” Will added. “I promise.”

Hannibal shifted his weight and nodded before heading back down the hall and into their bedroom. True to his word, Will followed only a few minutes after, stopping in the nursery to change Bernadette’s diaper. He whispered into the baby’s ear as he moved them into the bedroom, causing Hannibal’s eyes to immediately open. He watched with heavy lids and gently upturned lips as Will placed their baby in the center of her bassinette, leaning down to kiss her forehead as she fussed.

“Go to sleep, baby girl,” he whispered.

Once she settled, Will turned towards the bed to find Hannibal fast asleep, the omega didn’t even stir when Will slipped in next to him and pressed himself to Hannibal’s back.

Will was woken some time later to a heavy weight on his hip and wet lips on his neck. He groggily moaned as his brain worked to come back online, a hand reaching up to curl in the silvered hair rubbing against his cheek.

“Hmm,” he hummed. “Hannibal.”

Rather than respond, Hannibal got a knee between Will’s legs and moved to straddle his thigh. Will moaned against the friction. As the lips against his skin grew more insistent Will tightened his hold in Hannibal’s hair, relenting only slightly when the omega sought his mouth. Hannibal’s kiss was groggy but undeniably purposeful.

It was common for omegas to crave intercourse following birth; as their bodies returned to their prepartum state, they frequently reported feeling empty, feeling almost abandoned though their partners and children may have never left their side. This presented an issue as it was generally ill-advised to engage in intercourse so soon following birth but denying a postpartum omega intimacy could also be just as ill-advised.

All of this was to say nothing of Will’s own cock growing hard between his legs.

“Hannibal,” Will managed as Hannibal rutted against him. “We can’t.”

Undeterred, Hannibal moved away just enough to grip at Will’s boxers and slide them down his legs, his erection springing up in the darkness of their bedroom. Will licked his lips as Hannibal slid his own pants down his legs, moving to straddle Will’s hips.

As Hannibal moved to kiss him, Will pushed their lips together but pulled back soon after.

“Hey, hey,” he said softly. “We can’t.”

Will could see Hannibal’s eyes shimmer above him in the darkness. 

“Please,” Hannibal whispered. “I need you.”

Will reached up to place his hand against Hannibal’s cheek, sighing when the omega turned his head enough to suck Will’s thumb into his mouth.

“It’s not safe,” he gently tried to explain.

But of course, Hannibal knew that; overcome though he was, he knew the hazards of what he was asking.

“Will, please. I feel vacant,” he whispered, voice thick as he positioned himself over Will. “I need you inside me.”

Will felt his very insides tighten and then shatter. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to Hannibal being so open about his needs and the alpha in him wanted to give him everything he wanted. But he was also driven to keep him safe.

Gently, he took Hannibal by the hips and maneuvered him onto his belly next to him on the bed. Before the omega could protest, Will moved to lay on top of him, resting the full weight of his body on Hannibal’s back. Will ran his hands up and over Hannibal’s shoulders and back before placing his lips on his mating scar.

“I’m here,” Will said, his kisses reverent. “You have me.”

They lay there, pressed tight, until Hannibal settled and was able to fall back to sleep; his soft and steady breathing occasionally accented by a sleepy coo from Bernadette. 

***

The following weeks passed in relative – if not sleep deprived – peace.

Hannibal had fully recovered and had returned to his normal activities, including making meals. Though it was several months away, he was eager to make Bernadette her first meal of solid food. Will’s head swum with images of pureed sweet potato and peas, arranged into ostentatious patterns and served on pink and white bone china.

When she was ready for protein, her parents had both quickly agreed that Bernadette would only engage in their select tastes when she was fully able to consent which would be many, many years from now.

One evening as Will was pulling the ingredients for their dinner from the fridge, Hannibal emerged with their daughter in his arms. He came to Will and quickly held her out to him. Without hesitation, Will dropped his dishrag and took her to his chest.

“I have something for you,” Hannibal said. “I’ll need you to hold her.”

Will ducked his head as Bernadette’s forehead nearly collided with his chin. He looked down at her to find her eyes – finally able to focus – fixed firmly on him.

“I – okay.”

Satisfied, Hannibal reached into the pocket of his pants and produced a small card.

“This is the name and phone number of a man who propositioned me the night we went to the outdoor concert. Shortly before she was born.”

Will cradled the back of their baby’s head and stared at his mate.

“Propositioned?” he repeated. “What do you mean?”

“When you left for the men’s room, he approached me. He surmised that Bernadette was not your child, that you were not my partner, and that you had only taken pity on a poor unfortunate such as myself and offered to whisk me away into a better life.” 

Everything in Will’s world went red; he felt heat flushing up his neck and under his ears. In his arms, Bernadette began to fuss and let out small, hiccupping cries. Her nose was filling with the scent of an angry alpha and even though that alpha was her father, she was too young to know anything but the most primal of instincts.

Which was – of course – why Hannibal had insisted that Will hold her. To make sure he didn’t lose his temper.

Will cleared his throat and forced himself to relax, he pressed his nose into Bernadette’s fine hair and inhaled deeply.

“I’m going to kill him,” he said calmly, as he purred to their baby.

Hannibal grinned.

“Yes,” he agreed.

Will looked up at him, the red in his eyes receding as he held tight to his daughter.

“Why?” he asked. “Why are you giving him to me?”

Hannibal stepped forward and let his hand rest on Will’s hot neck. Between them, Bernadette’s chubby arms reached up.

“As much as I would love for us to hunt him together, I’m afraid our daughter’s presence presents an obstacle,” he explained. “And what’s more, I want to give him to you, Will. I want you to kill this man and bring him home to me. To us.”

Will swallowed and leaned in, kissing Hannibal firmly on the mouth.

Briefly mashed between her parents, Bernadette huffed. 

“I love you,” Will said.

Hannibal smiled and kissed him again.

“I love you,” he repeated back.

It was strange to hear the words said out loud; it had gone unspoken between them for so many, many years. And yet in this moment it felt as though those words had passed from their lips every moment of every day.

“Shall I call him?” Hannibal asked.

Will smirked and nodded, following Hannibal into their living room and sitting in the chair opposite him as Hannibal dialed David’s number and activated speakerphone.

“Hello?”

“David?”

Pause.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“This is . . . you probably don’t remember me. I’m . . . the other night. At the concert. Perhaps I shouldn’t have called - ”

Hannibal’s voice was delicate, unsure, and laced with fabricated uncertainty. 

“Oh no, no, I remember you. I wasn’t sure you’d call.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

David sighed on the other end of the line. Will smiled and continued to watch Hannibal work.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you,” Hannibal continued. “About what you said.”

There was rustling on the other end of the line, as though David was stepping into another room.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, I – does the offer still stand?”

Bernadette gurgled and suckled loudly on the pacifier Will placed in her mouth.

“Did you have that baby?”

“I did, yes.”

“What was it?”

Both Will and Hannibal knew the reason he was asking; though times had certainly changed, there remained a persistent societal preference for alpha children.

“A girl.”

The huff of laughter from David made Will’s lips tighten. This man had no intention of giving Hannibal any sort of improved quality of life. All he wanted from him was children.

“He can’t even give you alphas. I told you, he isn’t right for you. If he’s even the father, you never told me.”

Hannibal locked eyes with Will

“He is. He is her father.”

There was a long pause on the line.

“You said you’d take me away from him, give me something better. Did you mean it?”

“Oh hell, of course I did. Of course I did.”

“You said you’d help me raise my child, as well. I couldn’t leave her.”

There was a loud exhale. Of course David wouldn’t want to help raise a child knowing it wasn’t an alpha – but he also didn’t want to scare Hannibal away. He was undoubtedly an older alpha, desperate for a mate and didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that now that one was so near.

“Can I see you? Can you meet me?”

Hannibal grinned at Will before he answered.

“Yes, can you meet me at the park adjacent to the outdoor venue where we met? Tonight?”

“Tonight?”

“Please.”

“Yeah … yeah, okay. I can be there in an hour.”

“Okay. Thank you. I have to go.”

Before David could say another word, Hannibal hung up. Laying the phone on the tall table by the chair, Hannibal came to his feet before sinking to his knees in front of Will. He rested a large hand on Bernadette, his fingers reaching across the entire expanse of her body.

“Go get him, darling,” Hannibal said. “Bring him home to nourish your family.”


	8. The Milestones

Will smiled at the sound of Bernadette laughing which carried down the hall and into her nursery where he was sorting through her freshly cleaned clothes. He folded the last of her tiny onesies and placed it in the drawer before he left the room and followed the near hysterical laughter of his daughter to the kitchen.

Bernadette’s mouth was pulled back in a wide, toothless smile, her chubby arms beating against the polished wood of her high chair. As the weeks progressed, her hair had turned a dark blonde, though it had kept its curl. The baby blue of her eyes had turned honey brown.

“What’s so funny?” Will asked.

Hannibal turned to him, his smile just as wide as their daughter’s. His face was flushed with the effort of his own laughter.

“This, apparently,” Hannibal said as he held up the garlic bulb in his hand.

Will came to stand next to him.

“Garlic?”

Hannibal turned towards Bernadette for a reaction, surprised to get none. Instead, she eyed her parents happily and continued to bang the palms of her hands against the tray of her chair.

“It would appear so,” Hannibal continued. “I was reading her the list of ingredients for tonight and when I got to garlic - ”

Bernadette pulled her hands to her mouth and immediately began to giggle, her eyes fixed solely on Hannibal.

“Garlic.” Hannibal repeated.

Both men laughed as their daughter squealed with joy, her delight shaking her entire little body. When she’d stopped laughing, she looked at her mother with anticipation who rewarded her by saying “garlic” again sending the baby into another fit of uncontrolled laughter.

When she’s settled again, Will took the bulb from Hannibal and said “garlic”.

No response.

He tried again.

No response.

“Say it again,” Will asked, looking at Hannibal.

Hannibal leaned in closer to Bernadette who smiled wide in anticipation.

“Garlic.”

Without hesitation, she dissolved into high pitched laughter again. Both men followed suit, laughing with her until she stopped to catch her breath.

“I think it’s your accent,” Will suggested.

Hannibal turned back towards the smiling baby.

“Bernadette, is that it?” he asked.

She shoved a little fist into her mouth.

“Is it humorous to you when I say ‘garlic’?”

Hannibal was rewarded with an enormous, gummy smile as Bernadette laughed again, her squeals filling the entire house.

**

Hannibal rose from his knees on the bathroom floor, satisfied at the lukewarm temperature of the bath, and walked into the nursery. Will was gently rocking Bernadette who had just finished crying herself to the point of utter exhaustion. She had refused food and seemed to only want to sleep, though it was difficult through her coughing and fever. 

“Her bath is ready,” Hannibal said gently.

Will looked at him with heavy, tired eyes and nodded. He held their daughter’s too-warm body close to his chest as he followed Hannibal into the bathroom. The omega dimmed the lights as Bernadette started to cry again, woken from her fitful sleep.

“Shhh,” Will whispered to her as he rocked her in his arms.

A few days ago she had started coughing and having trouble sleeping through the night. On this night, she had developed a fever resulting in a frantic alpha desperately trying to keep himself under control as he cared for her. Will was thankful that Hannibal was able to remain calm, at least enough to keep a soothing scent in the air, a biological gift from omegas to their children.

“I can take her if you’d like to undress,” Hannibal said coolly over her screams.

Will nodded and kissed her hot forehead before passing her to her mother. As he went to pull back, Hannibal stopped him with a firm hand on the side of Will’s neck.

“She will be okay,” he said over Bernadette’s cries.

Will nodded, tears welling in his eyes.

“I know,” he said, “It’s just hard. It’s hard to see her like this and to feel so helpless.”

Hannibal leaned in, pushing their foreheads together for a long moment before he pulled back to let Will undress. Once he was bare, he stepped carefully into the lukewarm bath and sat down, watching as Hannibal kneeled gracefully and placed Bernadette on the floor to remove her onesie and diaper. 

Once her damp clothes had been moved aside, Will reached for her.

“She will probably not be fond of this at first,” Hannibal cautioned. “But it’s important to bring her fever down.”

Will nodded as the omega handed him their daughter.

“Hey, baby girl,” Will said as he took her to his bare chest. “Here we go.”

Once she was secure against him, Will sunk down into the water until it was up over her waist. As Hannibal had warned, she immediately let loose a piercing scream, her face bright red as she struggled to take in air over her cries.

“Chut, ma petite fille,” Hannibal said as he took a bath sponge and gently rubbed her back. “Je sais, je sais.”

As Bernadette continued to grow and develop, Hannibal fluctuated between speaking to her in English, Lithuanian, French, and Italian. While he was determined that their daughter would be fluent in his mother tongue, he hoped to expose her to as many additional languages as he was able.

While Will didn’t always understand what was said, he did love hearing Hannibal whisper to her gently in such sweet tones; seeing Bernadette respond to his foreign words was almost magical to Will.

“Ça va, ça va. C’est bien.”

Slowly, Bernadette acclimated to the tepid water and the soothing touches and voices of her parents who stayed with her until her fever broke.

**

“That was so close!”

Bernadette looked up at Will from where she’d fallen to a seated position on the floor. Over the last couple of weeks, he and Hannibal had noticed her relying less on furniture to help her stay on her feet and was even able to stand for a few seconds before falling.

Walking however, still alluded her. 

She crawled over to her father now, eagerly climbing into his lap.

“Do you want to try again?”

Her little hand slapped against Will’s cheek as he picked her up and turned her to face Hannibal who sat with his legs crossed a couple of feet away. With both hands on her sides, Will waited until she felt steady and then slightly moved his hands away so that she was close enough to quickly grab but also standing under her own two feet.

“That’s so good,” Will said excitedly. “Now go. Go to Papa.”

Hannibal smiled and extended his arms as Bernadette looked at him uncertainly. Surely, the few feet to her mother seemed more like a marathon to her. They waited – gently encouraging her – until she took a small, awkward step forward.

And then another.

And another.

Will’s hands darted out when it seemed as though she would stumble but he quickly pulled them back as Bernadette continued stomping her way towards Hannibal in socked feet. Both men held their breath as she made the final step and launched herself into the omega’s waiting arms.

Hannibal scooped her up and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“My little one,” he said. “Well done!” 

**

“Daddy. Da – dee.”

Bernadette ignored Will and continued arranging the colorful blocks in front of her. Will gently tugged on the frilly hem of her flower-patterned dress.

“Bernadette – can you say ‘daddy’?” he asked. “Daddy?”

Will smiled and took the bright red block which was offered to him in lieu of the word and set about to helping her stack and arrange the blocks. He inhaled the smell of sugar wafting through the air as Hannibal was putting the final touches on her first birthday cake. Will could hardly believe that a full year had passed since she’d come into existence in the bedroom over his head. It had been the joy of his life to watch her turn into a person – to watch her discover the world.

Her hair was long enough now to pull back into a short ponytail which rested askew on her head, closed with a pink bow. The dress she wore had been a gift from her mother for this very special day, imported from a bespoke tailor in Italy at a price Will had been horrified by. 

_She is only one once, Will._

“Bla! Ba!”

Will thanked Bernadette for the second offered block and awaited her instruction on where to place it as Hannibal came into the room.

“Everything is ready,” he said. “If I can tear you two away.”

“Are you ready for cake?” Will asked his daughter. “Are you ready? Let’s go.”

Coming to his feet, Will lifted Bernadette to his hip and carried her into the kitchen. In the center of their marble island was a stunning and delicately decorated white cake, dotted with pink buttercream roses and Bernadette’s name spelled out in frosting in elegant script.

“Look, baby girl,” Will said excitedly. “This is for you! Hannibal, this looks amazing.”

“Thank you,” the omega responded. “It should taste quite lovely as well.”

Will held their daughter close as Hannibal placed a single, thin candle in the middle of the cake and lit it. They moved in close as they sang a hushed rendition of “Happy Birthday” in English. Her parents mimicked blowing to try and coax the birthday girl to blow out her candle but ultimately took the task upon themselves.

As the smoke rose, Hannibal leaned down and kissed one side of her head as Will kissed the other.

“Su gimtadieniu, mano mažyte.”

“Happy birthday, baby girl.”

Hannibal set about to cutting a small piece of cake as Will placed her in her highchair. Bernadette excitedly watched as the colorful confection was placed on a plate and presented to her. With curious hands, she pinched a small amount between her fingers and brought it to her mouth. Her brown eyes widened slightly as her tongue ran across her upper lip.

“I think it’s a hit,” Will said, leaning against Hannibal as they watched her eat.

Bernadette looked up to her parents who watched over her with fierce pride and overwhelming love, their glowing expressions only faltering to laughing smiles when she cast a frosting covered finger towards Will and gleefully exclaimed:

“Dada!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chut, ma petite fille. Je sais, je sais. // Shh, my little girl. I know, I know. 
> 
> Ça va, ça va. C’est bien. // It's okay, it's okay. That's good. 
> 
> Su gimtadieniu, mano mažyte. // Happy birthday, my little one.


	9. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decided to split this final chapter into two. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and for all the lovely comments <3

Will finished buttoning his shirt as he padded barefoot towards the smell of cooking eggs and meat. Hannibal was at the kitchen island chopping mushrooms while Bernadette played with her small, wooden renditions of fruits and vegetables in her playpen a few feet away.

“Good morning,” Hannibal said with a smile as he continued chopping.

“Morning,” Will returned. “Mushrooms, huh?”

Hannibal ran a finger across the flat width of the blade to clear the clinging pieces.

“Indeed. I’d like to see if I can get her to eat a few.”

Will turned towards their daughter and scrunched his nose at her dramatically. Bernadette squealed and lifted her arms, a little wooden carrot clutched in her fist.

“Da! Dada!”

Will smiled and scooped her up, bringing her over to watch Hannibal cook.

“Good morning, baby girl,” he beamed. “Does Papa want you to eat fungus?”

Hannibal arched his eyebrow and added the finely chopped mushrooms to the omelet he was making. Will leaned in and kissed the side of Bernadette’s head, finding himself gifted with a wooden carrot when he pulled back.

“Is that for me?”

She pushed the toy towards Will’s mouth, smiling as the alpha opened his mouth and dramatically pretended to eat it.

“Mmm,” he said. “Thank you!”

Will turned his attention back towards Hannibal.

“Can I do anything?”

Hannibal flipped the small omelet.

“Yes, would you please get one of her plates?”

Will carried Bernadette over to the cabinet and opened it.

“Which one do you want, baby?” he asked as he pulled the little blue plate from the cabinet and placed it on the counter in front of them.

“Mėlyna?”

Balanced on his hip, Bernadette watched as her father grabbed another plate – red – from the cabinet and placed it next to the blue one.

“Or raudonay?”

Hannibal smiled next to them; he so loved hearing his mate speak his native language to their daughter.

“Raudona,” he gently corrected.

“Raudona,” Will repeated, gesturing to the red plate. “Which one do you want?”

Will pointed to the plates and repeated the colors in Lithuanian until Bernadette motioned to the blue plate with short, sporadic movements of her arm.

“Meahh!” she said. “Bloo!”

“Blue? Good choice.”

Will put the red plate back in the cabinet and placed the blue one next to the stove top before he walked Bernadette to her highchair and sat her down. He gently took her toy carrot from her and hushed her immediate protests. Will poured some milk into a small sealed cup with a twist on spouted lid and handed it to her. She eagerly gripped it with two hands and pulled it to her open mouth.

At the stovetop, Hannibal cut Bernadette’s omelet into small pieces and blew on it gingerly before he placed it on the tray of her chair along with a tiny slice of toast.

“Bon appétit, ma petite,” he said as he kissed the top of her head before returning to the stove.

Will watched their daughter use all her concentration to pick up pieces of food and bring them to her mouth, her nose scrunching just as Will’s had when he’d seen Hannibal preparing the mushrooms. After a long moment of thoughtful tasting, she swallowed and reached for another bite.

“Maybe you’re not mine after all,” Will said to her under his breath.

“I take it she likes the mushrooms?” Hannibal asked as he approached their kitchen table with two plates of eggs and meat.

“Appears so,” Will confirmed. “She had her doubts but the power of your cooking won her over.”

“Perhaps one day I can get you to enjoy them as well,” Hannibal said as he took a seat next to his mate.

They made gentle conversation as they ate and sipped their coffee, occasionally interrupted by their daughter’s sudden and dire need for attention. As their meal came to a close, Hannibal reached out and took Will’s hand.

“I know that you’re aware of this but I find that I must verbalize it regardless: if you’re unsure, we need not go through with it.”

Will cast a quick look at their daughter, at the boxes that had been packed and neatly stacked in the kitchen.

He slipped his hand out from Hannibal’s grasp and threaded their fingers.

“I’m sure.”

**

“Come here, baby girl. Look.”

Will came to kneel by his daughter and pulled her attention away from the flowers which had captivated her with gentle hands on her shoulders. He turned her until she faced the large blue and black fluttering creature which quickly came to land on a nearby flower.

“Do you see that?” he asked. “That’s a butterfly. Butterfly.”

He pointed to the insect and looked to Bernadette for a reaction, pleased when he found her warm brown eyes focused firmly on it.

“Butterfly. I don’t know what that is in Lithuanian but in French it’s ‘papillon’. Pa – pee – ohn. In German it’s ‘schmetterling’ but don’t ask me how to say that correctly. And, what else, I used to know it in Italian. It’s . . .”

“Farfalla.”

Will carefully tightened his grip on his daughter’s shoulders before moving them down to her waist, lifting her up and onto his hip as his turned towards the familiar voice. In his arms, Bernadette turned her body dramatically to try and keep her eye on the colorful wings rather than the stranger that stood in front of them.

“Farfalla,” Will confirmed. “Thanks, Jack.”

The older alpha nodded and removed his hat, holding its wide brim in his large hands. He was thinner than Will remembered, greyer too. His eyes and posture were tired.

“It’s good to see you, Will,” he responded in earnest. “Who’s this?”

He nodded towards the baby in Will’s arms as he spoke.

Will pushed his nose into his daughter’s fine blonde curls and inhaled before he spoke.

“Who does she look like?”

Jack’s eyes locked onto Bernadette's face - on the unmistakable curve of her lips - before his gaze moved slowly across the landscape of the garden; there was no one else around.

“How did you find me?” Will asked.

Jack maintained eye contact with Will as he answered.

“Friend of a friend,” he explained. “It sounded like you, at least physically: an alpha just about 6 feet tall, slim but well built. Dark curling hair. But no glasses and a confident stride as he walked, often with an older omega at his side. An omega with a sharp, dramatic face and grey hair.”

Having lost interest in her new insect friend, Bernadette faced the strange alpha standing in front of her from the safety of her father’s arms.

“I thought it could have been you and then I heard that you’d seemed to have disappeared. For close to a year I heard nothing. I figured I’d lost you again. And then I heard that you’d re-emerged but with someone new.”

Jack’s eyes moved towards Bernadette as he spoke, slowly looking over the features of her tiny face – no doubt taking in her strong resemblance to her mother.

“What’s her name?”

“What do you want, Jack?”

For a moment, the older alpha looked almost broken.

“Closure,” he said. “If we can. If it’s even possible.”

“Hiiiii!” Bernadette suddenly exclaimed, waving proudly.

Jack smiled at the gesture, even as her father held her closer.

“Hi there,” he said to her gently.

At the attention, Bernadette shyly turned away and hid her face in Will’s shoulder, one eye peaking out from her hair as her father rubbed her back.

“I know you’ve been watching for me, Will,” Jack continued. “I know you know I don’t work for the Bureau anymore. That I was forced into retirement soon after, well, soon after you and Lecter _died_. I’ve been fully on my own since then, just following what leads I can afford in any effort to locate you once I found out that you may have lived.”

Will pushed his nose back into Bernadette’s curls but kept his eyes on Jack.

“I have no ill intentions, Will. I don’t want anything from you – aside from a conversation.”

“Papa! Papa!”

Jack attempted to turn as Bernadette lifted her head from Will’s shoulder and squealed excitedly. But before he could raise his arms, he found a large hand placed over his mouth and felt the familiar sting of a needle in his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mėlyna // blue
> 
> raudona // red
> 
> bon appétit, ma petite // enjoy your meal, my little one
> 
> papillon, schmetterling, farfalla // butterfly


	10. The Farewell

The first thing Jack became aware of was the sound of metal clinking together and the smell of garlic. He struggled to open his eyes and was only able to get a quick glimpse of the table in front of him before he lost himself once more.

When Jack was able to open his eyes again – this time fully – he found himself tied to a chair in front of an all too familiar scene: a dark tablecloth and elaborate centerpiece, made up of what appeared to be preserved butterflies perched atop various flowers.

Directly in front of him was an empty white china plate with gold trim.

He sat at the head of the table and looked beyond the ornate centerpiece to see that the other head had not been set. Instead, there sat a wooden highchair with the seats on either side of it plated and waiting.

Jack attempted briefly to flex the muscles in his arms but quickly gave up; he didn’t have to be able to reach into his pocket to know that his phone and wallet were gone.

His heavy eyes moved towards the sounds coming from what he assumed was the kitchen: ceramic and glass carefully meeting marble. The excited and impatient calls of a baby and the voices of her parents encouraging patience.

He sighed as footsteps approached.

“Jack,” Will said as he came towards the table with a bottle of wine. “How are you feeling?”

Jack watched as Will poured the wine into the high stemmed glasses on either side of the highchair before moving to the one in front of him.

“Jack?” Will repeated as he poured. “Are you hungry?”

Jack looked up at the man who he once thought he’d known so well before casting another glance to the colorful centerpiece on the table.

To the small packed boxes laying just out of the way enough.

To the empty spaces in the bookshelves and on the walls.

It was in that moment that Jack knew beyond any doubt that he would not be leaving Will’s home alive.

“Sure,” he answered calmly.

Will smiled and retreated back to the kitchen after placing the half empty bottle on the table. Jack listened to him attempt to be heard over the sounds of the baby’s squeals and eventual cries. Will emerged back into the dining room a few moments later with the wailing child in his arms, carefully placing her in the highchair at the end of the table.

“I know your dinner is late, baby girl,” Will said sympathetically as he secured a bib around her neck. “It’s coming now.”

With that Will left and the baby’s cries grew in intensity. Fingers in her mouth, she kept her eyes focused in the direction where her father had gone.

“Hey. Hey,” Jack said in a gentle whisper.

Little tired eyes turned to him.

“It’ll be okay,” Jack said.

The baby’s cries softened but didn’t stop until Will came towards her once more with a small plate in his hand.

“Here we go,” he said as he placed the plate in front of her. “Papa made you spaghetti and meatballs.”

The child ignored Will’s words and happily stuck her fingers into the thin, chopped pasta, ignoring the wooden spoon Will placed on the tray. She pulled some spaghetti to her lips, smearing the area around her mouth red with sauce. Will came to sit at an empty setting next to her as she reached for a tiny piece of meat and swallowed it down next.

Jack felt as though he may be sick.

“Relax, Jack,” Will said, not taking his eyes off his daughter. “That’s a decision that will be hers to make.”

Jack swallowed.

“Unlike me.”

“You have a choice, Jack,” Will responded, looking towards the other alpha. “But Hannibal’s been planning this dinner for quite some time. Years, you could say. We would both be disappointed if you chose not to partake, but we won’t force you.”

As if on cue, Hannibal emerged from the kitchen with a large platter in his arms. On the table was placed a feast of meat and colorful vegetables, arranged carefully inside a collection of bleached bones resembling a ribcage. Jack looked up and listened as Hannibal announced the dish in lavish details, referring to the meat as “lamb”. 

Hannibal arranged Jack’s plate with a lollypop of meat and slender greens which he drizzled with sauce before completing Jack’s plate with a spoonful of farfalle pasta. As he finished, Hannibal knelt next to Jack’s right hand and undid his binding before doing the same to the left. His legs still secured to the chair, Jack rolled his shoulders and shook out his arms.

“I apologize, Jack,” Hannibal said before he moved to sit across from Will. “I hope the food will make up for my crudeness before.”

Jack wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream.

Instead he picked up the fork on his setting and skewered a piece of tender meat. He pulled it to his lips, the savory aroma filling his nostrils, before he opened his mouth and began to work it between his teeth.

Hannibal looked on approvingly before cutting into his own dinner, occasionally stopping to wipe at the baby’s face with a cloth.

“I never got the chance to officially introduce you,” Will said. “Jack, this is Bernadette. Our daughter.”

Jack looked towards the little girl as she continued working small bits of pasta and meat into her mouth, unconcerned with the conversation around her.

“She looks just like you,” Jack said towards Hannibal lightly, as though they were the oldest of friends.

Hannibal smiled proudly.

“Thank you,” he responded. “I had hoped that she would take on more of Will’s lovely features as she aged, though she does have the beautiful shape of his eyes.”

“Should have anticipated that you’d have aggressive genes,” Will said as he took a sip of his wine.

Jack stared at the knife at his place setting. After a moment, he used it to cut himself another piece of meat.

Once Bernadette had finished her meal, Hannibal carefully cleaned her fingers and face as she immediately began to rub her eyes. Will swallowed the food in his mouth and stood, tossing his napkin on the table from where it had been resting in his lap to Hannibal’s unmasked annoyance.

“I’ll take her up and get her ready for bed,” he said as he moved the tray away from her chair. “She has got to be exhausted.”

Will removed Bernadette’s bib and placed it on his shoulder as he carried his daughter away and into unseen parts of the house. As Hannibal stood to clear her plate, Jack caught a glimpse of the scar on the back of his neck.

“You’ve mated?”

“It’s rude to stare,” Hannibal said as he gathered his daughter’s little plate and wooden spoon. “But yes. We mated shortly before she was born.”

Jack heard the sound of water running in another room and a quick burst of laughter from Will as Hannibal returned Bernadette’s things to the kitchen before coming back and pouring himself another glass of wine.

“I had no idea,” Jack whispered. “I can’t believe that it took me so long to see it.”

“What would that be?”

“You. Will,” Jack responded. “This. If someone would have told me that six years after I introduced the two of you I’d be sitting here now. . . ”

“Yes?”

Jack shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he responded. “I don’t know anything.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of Bernadette crying again but this time her calls were interjected with very deliberate cries of “Papa!”. Hannibal smiled sympathetically, clearly aware of what Will was dealing with in the other room. Bernadette never seemed to show any sort of preference for one of her parents over the other, except when it came down to sleeping. If she was restless or woke up in the middle of the night, Hannibal was the only one who could soothe her.

The cries became louder as Will appeared again, the front of his shirt damp from Bernadette’s bath. She was dressed now in a striped pink and grey footed onesie, her arms reaching out for her mother the moment she saw him. In one fist she was clenching a little stuffed dog.

Hannibal stood to take her, holding her close to his chest and rubbing her back.

“Mano mažasis,” he whispered. “Hush now.”

“One day I’ll learn not to take this personally,” Will said as he placed a pacifier in her mouth.

Hannibal smiled and leaned in to kiss him gently before he turned back towards Jack.

“Would you care to join us in the living room?” Hannibal asked softly over Bernadette’s fussy grunts. “Will has procured quite the rare whiskey for this occasion.”

Jack looked at them in mild disbelief, both at the absurdly picturesque family life they had appeared to have curated and at the idea that they would let him walk freely through their home.

And with their child present.

Jack looked towards Hannibal and knew that the omega was confident he wouldn’t get anywhere near Bernadette, even if he had wanted to; her parents would literally rip him limb from limb if he tried. And so he nodded, watching as Will came to kneel in front of him, freeing his legs from the chair. He stood up slowly and followed them, taking a seat when Will gestured to a plush sofa.

Hannibal sat in a nearby armchair with a now silent Bernadette close to his chest. She suckled on her pacifier and held her little dog close, her eyes locked on Jack who found himself smiling. Will poured them both a glass of whiskey and handed Jack his before he took a seat across from Hannibal in a matching armchair.

“How have you been, Jack?” Will asked sincerely.

Jack looked at the amber liquid in his glass, which he held down between his open knees.

“Not a whole lot,” he said, his voice raspy. “You, mostly.”

The alpha took a sip and savored the way the whiskey burned down his throat.

“I’ve been trying to find you for so long, Will,” he continued. “I kept hoping that you were alive, that I hadn’t killed you. But I don’t think I really believed it. Part of me still can’t, even though I’m looking at you.”

“And Hannibal?” Will asked. “Were you looking for him too?”

Jack looked at the omega who regarded him silently.

“No,” Jack said. “No, I hoped he was dead.”

Will sucked on his lips and shook his head.

“After everything, Jack,” he said. “After everything that has happened, after _everything I told you_. You still can’t accept that I’m here willingly. That I want to be here, right now in this very moment. That I want to be with Hannibal.”

Jack felt his eyes well.

“I want to be violent. I want to kill,” Will continued. “I want to hunt and feel life disappear under my fingers and I want to consume what’s left.”

Across from him, Hannibal regarded his mate with unmatched adoration.

“This is who I’ve always been,” he said, softer. “This isn’t something you did. All you did was set me on a path to the only thing that’s ever made me truly happy. I’m grateful to you, Jack.”

Jack took a long drink of his whiskey, nearly finishing what was in his glass.

“I’m happy for you,” he said, his voice getting rougher. “I am. I may hate what you are. What he is. And I shudder to think about the type of person that little girl will turn into. But I am happy for you. There is nothing worse in this life than being alone. I have nothing - no one - in my life anymore: no job, no wife. I spent all of my time in a one bedroom apartment trying to track you down and now that I’m here – there’s nothing left for me.”

Jack tipped the glass all the way back and finished his whiskey, grateful when Will stood and refilled it.

“My doctor says I’ve probably got less than a year. Coronary heart disease.”

“Time has returned you to this moment,” Hannibal said. “To us.”

Tears fell freely now, Jack’s shoulders hunching as he cried. In Hannibal’s arms, Bernadette suddenly began to squirm, her arms raising as she tried to push her mother away. Hannibal regarded her curiously as he carefully placed her on her feet. She attempted to walk towards the weeping alpha but was held tight.

Hannibal looked at Will who nodded after a moment.

Slowly, Hannibal released his hold and watched as Bernadette walked over to Jack. She placed one hand on his upper thigh and with her other, held out her stuffed dog. Jack sniffed and smiled.

“Is that for me?”

Bernadette continued to shove the stuffed animal at him until Jack took it carefully and thanked her. After a moment, she turned and walked back towards her mother who lifted her into his lap.

“She’s kind,” Jack said.

“We’re not raising her to be a monster,” Will said. “She’ll grow up knowing who we are, but we would never force her down a path she doesn’t accept nor want.”

Jack nodded and took another deep drink from his whiskey, keeping the stuffed dog clutched in his hand.

They sat together in hushed conversation of days passed, humorous anecdotes, and comfortable silence as Bernadette fell asleep in Hannibal’s arms. He excused himself and took her to her room.

“It will be quick, Jack,” Will said.

Jack tightened his lips and nodded as Will placed his empty glass on the nearby table and came to sit next to him. He took the stuffed animal from Jack’s grasp and placed it on the couch next to him before gripping Jack’s hand in his own.

The alpha covered Will’s hand with his other and squeezed his fingers.

Jack didn’t hear Hannibal approaching, but the sudden shadow made him tense. There was a flash of an arm under his chin and a warm rush down his neck and chest. He looked down to see crimson flowing onto his shirt and then over to where his hands were joined with Will’s.

He felt Hannibal’s fingers press firmly into his shoulder as the light faded for the last time. 

***

Hannibal and Will entered Bernadette’s room freshly showered and dressed for bed. She was sleeping in the center of the crib her father had built for her, her head resting on a tiny pillow. Hannibal approached and tucked her stuffed dog under her arm, having removed the scent of any one other than himself.

The alpha and omega watched her sleep.

In the early morning, they would pack the small amount of belongings they’d elected to keep into a newly acquired car and drive far from here. Hannibal would sit in the back and keep Bernadette company as Will would navigate them across borders to their new home. 

There would be no trace that they ever existed at their current residence.

All that would remain would be the ghost of a family and a reverently displayed human heart, decorated with vibrant, preserved butterflies. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad that other's found joy in it as well. <3


	11. Bonus Chapter: The Long Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal, Will, and Bernadette and their first night on the road.

The sun had begun to descend behind them, casting rays of pink and gold into the car. Will looked up into the rearview mirror and found Hannibal leaning into the back of the seat with his eyes closed, the fingers of his right hand resting on Bernadette’s arm. Their daughter was fully asleep – lulled by the vibrations of the car – her chest rising and falling with her slight breaths.

Next to her on the seat was her stuffed dog and a large, colorful book Hannibal had been reading to her in Italian.

They had been on the road close to eight hours in total, taking breaks to stretch and tend to Bernadette, including setting up a picnic for her lunch in a large, open meadow they drove by. Will had laid on his side, his head propped up on his hand, watching her eat and feeling the sun on his skin.

But now the day was growing dark and cold and the lines of the highway were blending together. 

“Hannibal?” Will said gently.

The omega’s eyes immediately opened, meeting Will’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

“There is a motel about 15 miles away,” he continued softly. “Should we pull over?”

Hannibal turned to look at Bernadette and then lifted his arm to check his watch. They were at least another five hours away from their new home.

“Yes,” he sighed sleepily. “I think that is a good idea.”

Will took the exit off the highway and pulled into the parking lot of the small motel. The alpha shut off the engine and turned to his mate.

“I’ll get us a room if you want to wake her.”

Hannibal’s eyes were focused on the worn façade of the motel, light from a blinking neon sign reflecting off the high arch of his cheekbones.

“Hannibal?”

“Yes,” the omega said, turning towards Bernadette and carefully undoing the straps of her car seat.

Will headed into the dim lobby and paid for a single room in cash before heading back out to the car where Hannibal was waiting with a drowsy baby against his chest.

“Down here,” Will said as he walked towards them. “They had a room available with a king bed.”

Hannibal nodded once and wordlessly followed Will to their room. The alpha pushed the door open and turned on the light, holding the door for the rest of his family to follow him. Tossing the key down on the nearby table, Will switched on the lamp on the nightstand before falling back onto the mattress. An exaggerated sigh was halfway out of his mouth when Hannibal spoke:

“We are not staying here.”

Will pushed the rest of his breath out loudly.

“Yes, we are,” he said, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

After a moment, when Hannibal didn’t respond, Will pulled himself up into a sitting position. His mate was standing in the center of the room, his disapproving eyes scanning every outdated fixture, every spot of discoloration.

“No, Will. We are not.”

Will ran his fingers down the tops of his thighs before turning his hands to rest his knuckles against the fabric of his pants, his palms offered upwards.

“Hannibal, I’m exhausted. _She’s_ exhausted,” He said, offering a quick motion to their daughter who grunted and nestled closer into her mother’s chest. “There isn’t any other lodging within 50 miles of here. I know this isn’t the Four Seasons but - ”

“This room is deplorable. I won’t have my child sleeping here.”

“ _Hannibal_ ,” Will said through his teeth.

“Will,” Hannibal responded. “This room smells of mold. The duvet on the bed looks like it hasn’t been washed in weeks; I shudder to think about what lies under it. The carpet is worn and frayed from all the filth that has been trampled into its fibers.”

Will’s head was starting to throb. For the first time since he and Hannibal had become romantically involved he found himself wanting to reach out, take Hannibal by the back of the neck and force his submission.

But he wasn’t that type of alpha.

And Hannibal wasn’t that type of omega.

“We’ve stayed in places far, _far_ worse than this,” Will said.

“We have,” Hannibal agreed. “When we were near death and didn’t have a child with us.”

“Hannibal,” Will said as he came to his feet. “One night in a roadside motel isn’t going to kill her; she’s made of stronger stuff than that.”

Bernadette fussed, opening her eyes for a brief moment before letting them fall closed again.

“Please,” Will said gently. “Just for tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll be home.”

Hannibal’s eyes softened.

After a moment, the omega kissed the top of Bernadette’s head.

“Very well,” he acquiesced. “Will you please hold her and not let her down on anything until I return from the car?”

Will opened his arms and carefully pulled the sleeping baby to him, more than eager to accommodate. He watched as Hannibal left the room, grabbing the keys to the car on his way out. Will looked down at the blonde hair on the top of Bernadette’s head; the alpha sighed as a fine curl tickled his nose.

It was only moments later when Hannibal returned with a suitcase in tow and a large soft bag thrown over his shoulder which Will knew was full of items from Bernadette’s bedroom. He stepped aside as Hannibal unpacked the bag and pulled out one of the many pairs of crib sheets and blankets he had packed. Hannibal threw the sheets over the duvet of the bed, careful to cover the pillows as well before he placed one of their daughter’s cashmere blankets in the center of the bed along with one of her little pillows.

Will smiled and sat on the bed, finding himself comforted with the familiar smell.

“Do you think it’s worth trying to change her into her pajamas?” 

Hannibal pulled a thin blanket from their bedroom out and placed it carefully on the bed. The omega looked at his daughter’s sleepy face.

“Yes,” he said. “She will be more comfortable.”

They worked together to undress and change her before pulling her pale yellow footed pajamas on.

Much to her parent’s delight, she barely fussed; her honey brown eyes never opening. They settled her in the middle of the bed before Hannibal moved to the bathroom to quickly shower, emerging less than 10 minutes later to join his mate on the bed where he had settled.

“How was it?”

“As impressive as I expected,” he answered dryly, coming to lay on his side, curling slightly around Bernadette who lay sleeping between her parents. “But refreshing regardless.”

Will leaned over their daughter’s form and kissed Hannibal’s mouth before he settled on his side, also turned to face their baby.

“She’s never woken up anywhere but her room or our room,” Will said lightly. “Might be strange for her.”

Hannibal hummed lazily, not opening his eyes. Will reached out and brushed a curl behind Bernadette’s little ear and gave himself over to his exhaustion.

It was just over an hour later when Will found himself waking up. He managed to fall asleep again only to wake up once more 30 minutes later. On the bed in front of him, Bernadette continued to sleep on her back, both arms thrown up over her head. She seemed so very small, so fragile. What was more was that his mate – the most dangerous man he had ever met – seemed just as slight and delicate to him at that moment.

This strange room felt far too open, too vulnerable; his alpha instincts were screaming at him to protect his family. He couldn’t sleep until he knew they were safe.

Will carefully rolled onto his back and turned his head to look at the door of the room.

The door with its old bolt lock and chain.

At the wall with the large window.

After debating a moment longer, he got out of bed and pulled the small couch in front of the door as quietly as he could, making a barricade. He sat on the uncomfortable cushions and looked at his sleeping family.

Bernadette cooed gently and Will watched Hannibal unconsciously move in closer, curling himself more closely around her and purring.

She immediately settled and fell back to sleep.

Will bent his knees and adjusted his position on the couch - his back to the door - and did the same.

“Will?”

Will’s eyes snapped open and took in the pink light streaming in through the thin curtains. Hannibal was kneeling in front of him. He could see Bernadette sleeping soundly on the bed over his shoulder.

“What? Is she okay? What time is it?”

Hannibal touched the side of his face gently.

“Yes, darling,” he said. “It’s morning. Did you sleep here all night?”

Will came to a seated position and rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Yeah,” he answered. “I couldn’t sleep. Things just felt … exposed.”

“Your protector instinct,” Hannibal offered. “The desire to protect your mate and child. Perfectly natural.”

The omega pushed his nose into the crook of Will’s neck.

“And charming,” he added.

Will smiled and tilted his head to give Hannibal better access.

“Should we get going?”

The omega hummed against Will’s skin and placed a single, hot kiss there before pulling back.

“Yes,” he responded. “I’ll get her up and dressed if you’d like to shower.”

“Sounds nice,” Will said as he stretched.

Will came to his feet and made his way into the bathroom as Hannibal sat back down on the bed, carefully placing a hand on Bernadette’s chest. Her lips were slightly parted, her long lashes resting against her plump cheeks.

“Pabusk, mažyte,” He said gently. “It is a new day.”

He moved his long fingers against her chest until she started to stir, eventually opening her eyes and smiling up at him.

“There you are,” Hannibal grinned. “Good morning.”

Bernadette clamored up on to all fours before coming to a seated position on the mattress, her eyes taking in her new surroundings. Hannibal watched as she carefully looked around, her sleepy eyes coming into focus. After a while however, she began to turn her head back and forth more quickly, the color in her cheeks starting to rise as her breath became unsteady.

“Shh,” Hannibal soothed. “It’s all right. Come here.”

Hannibal took her to his chest and rubbed her back, attempting to quell the coming cries but found his efforts to be futile. It was only a moment later that the baby in his arms began to wail.

“I know, I know,” Hannibal said gently. “It’s new and frightening.”

“Dada!” Bernadette hiccupped between her sobs. “Dada!”

Hannibal laughed gently. It wasn’t the strange new place that was frightening her – it was not being able to find Will. 

“Your father is here, my little one,” he said as he came to his feet. “Shall I take you to him?”

Bernadette continued to cry as Hannibal came to the closed door of the bathroom, knocking twice before he opened it. He stepped into the steam filled room just as Will was wrapping a starchy towel around his waist.

“Hey,” the alpha said turning to face them. “What’s the matter?”

Bernadette’s cries stopped though her face remained bright red.

“You see?” Hannibal said to her. “Here he is.”

The baby stared at Will a moment longer, as if to assure herself that he was truly there, before she settled entirely.

“She was calling for you,” Hannibal explained.

This marked the first time that their daughter had specifically called for the alpha in a time of stress and it sent a warm pulse through Will’s entire body.

“Oh, baby girl,” Will said as he kissed her head. “It’s okay. I’m right here.”

The three of them stood in the tiny bathroom for a moment longer before they moved back out to the main room. Together they dressed and ate from the cooler Hannibal had packed before making their way back out to their car, luggage and baby in tow.

This time, Hannibal took the wheel while Will sat in the back and regaled Bernadette with a tale of three billy goats, her delighted eyes never moving from her father’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pabusk, mažyte // wake up, little one


	12. Bonus Chapter: The Special Day, Part One

“Your father has left us to our own devices today,” Hannibal said as he finished changing Bernadette into her yellow shirt and puffy grey tutu that she – as of late – couldn’t bare to be without. “What adventures shall we get up to?”

The baby stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at him, laughing when he leaned down and did the same to her. Hannibal then lifted her shirt, pressed his lips to her skin, and blew. She laughed loudly and scrunched her body up as tightly as she could.

With an amused smile, Hannibal lowered her shirt back down and used his hand to rock her gently.

“You are a silly girl,” he said warmly. “Shall we get some breakfast?”

He lifted and carried her towards the kitchen, reaching into his pocket when he felt the small vibration. A text from an unknown number.

_I miss her. I’m coming home._

Hannibal grinned and placed the phone on the counter and situated Bernadette in her highchair with her little wooden play spatula and bowl.

“I think Pain Perdu this morning,” he said as he opened the doors of the refrigerator and pulled out several eggs. “Does that sound nice, little one?”

Bernadette ignored him and played with the toys on the tray of her chair as Hannibal picked up the phone and responded.

_It’s been an hour. Do what you set out to do._

Almost immediately, a set of ellipsis appeared on screen to indicate that his mate was responding.

_I miss you too._

Hannibal smiled again. For as dependent as the two of them had always been on one another, being separated now that Bernadette had arrived was nearly insufferable.

_We miss you too, darling. Bring us back something tender and well marbled._

Hannibal put the phone back on the counter and started cracking eggs into a bowl, explaining his steps to Bernadette as he went. She watched as he added ingredients to the eggs and whisked it thoroughly before dipping slices of brioche bread into the mixture and then on to the sizzling pan. When it was ready, he sliced pieces of strawberries and arranged them on her small plate before shaking some powdered sugar on top.

“A little treat,” Hannibal said as he placed it in front of her.

Both he and Will were careful of her sugar intake but on this special morning, the omega couldn’t resist.

He plated his own breakfast and came to sit at the island next to her.

“Bon Appetit.”

Bernadette reached out to grab a small pieces of the cut bread and pulled it to her mouth.

“Is it good?”

The baby grinned, her smile punctuated by teeth that had started to come in.

After breakfast, Hannibal cleaned up and carried Bernadette out to the main room where she set about to playing with her many blocks and toys while Hannibal worked on his sketchpad. She allowed her mother to sit by for a while but soon teetered over to him and pressed her slight weight against his knee before reaching for his hand.

“Would you like for me to join you?”

“Papa,” she said as she started to walk back to her collection of blocks, her hand on the cloth of Hannibal’s pants.

He stood as she pulled.

“Papa,” she said, releasing him when she seemed sure that he would follow and then coming back to sit in front of her precariously balanced block tower.

“What shall we build?” Hannibal asked, crossing his legs as he came to sit next to her. “You’ve done a fine job with this one already. Perhaps it needs a twin?”

They worked together, Hannibal encouraging her to take the lead until a second tower had been built. As Bernadette moved to grab another block, she bumped into the structure causing them both to tumble down. When her eyes grew wide with uncertainty, Hannibal immediately started clapping.

“A grand finish!” he said. “Wonderful!”

Comforted by her mother’s excitement, Bernadette smiled and clapped her hands as best as her developing motor skills would allow.

Hannibal sliced her a banana as a snack before putting her down for her nap, using the opportunity to tidy the main room which was a wreck with toys and misplaced pillows, books, and blankets. When Bernadette woke, he gave her a bottle and then carried her to the bench of his harpsicord.

“I would like to play you something,” Hannibal said, positioning Bernadette between his knees on the bench. “This is a piece I composed for my sister many years ago.”

Trusting that her hands were busy holding the bottle to her mouth, Hannibal began to play.

“You remind me so much of her,” he said as he cast a quick look down at the soft blonde crown of his daughter’s head. “She was such a happy child. Inquisitive. Smart. I miss her terribly some days.”  
  
Hannibal’s voice grew thick with his words, the somber melody flowing into his ears and the sweet smell of his daughter into his nose.

“I am very proud that you share her name,” he added. “I know you will do it justice.”

Once the piece was done, Hannibal took a moment to collect himself and kissed the top of Bernadette’s head.

“And now,” he began. “This is a piece I am working on for you. Will you help me compose?”

He began to play, the room filling with a lighter tone. He caught Bernadette’s bottle as she finished it and sought to toss it onto the floor, placing it next to him on the bench instead. Hannibal slowed the pace of the melody and took her chubby little arms in each of his hands, guiding her to play the rest of what he had written while he worked the peddles.

When it was time for dinner, the omega prepared them both a serving a macaroni and cheese using the homemade pasta he had crafted the night before. As he added the toasted breadcrumbs and prepared Bernadette’s serving, he raised his eyebrows at her.

“Not a word to your father about our severe lack of nutritional variety today, my little one,” he said as he placed the food in front of her. “Do I have your word?”

Bernadette shrieked her response after which Hannibal nodded and took his place beside her, pushing his fork into his own plate of creamy pasta.

After dinner, Hannibal changed Bernadette into her footed pajamas and moved back out with her into the main room.

“Some Mozart this evening?”

Balanced on his hip, Bernadette sucked quietly on her pacifier as Hannibal turned the stereo on, the house soon filling with the lull of gentle pianos and woodwinds. Hannibal sat in Will’s leather armchair and leaned back, positioning Bernadette against his chest, and turning the nearby lamp off.

His long fingers toyed with the wisps of fine curls at the nape of her neck as she fell asleep.

“Labos nakties, mano mažasis,”

Hannibal felt her warm breath on his chest as her grip on her pacifier went slack. He took it from her and placed it next to him on the end table. Hannibal closed his eyes and concentrated on the tiny weight of his daughter’s body as he drifted off as well.

The omega’s eyes snapped open some time later at the sound of a car pulling up their long gravel driveway. He leaned into the cushion at the back of his head and grinned as the door opened. Hannibal listened to the sounds of his mate quietly removing his shoes and jacket before making his way to the main room.

He looked up and smiled as Will came into view over his shoulder, tipping his head up for a kiss. Before pulling back, Hannibal pressed his nose against Will’s throat and inhaled deeply.

“Mmm,” he hummed against his skin. “Do you need assistance unloading the car?”

“No, but I would love it anyway,” Will whispered as he knelt and cupped the back of Bernadette’s head with his hand. “How was she?”

“Perfect,” Hannibal answered. “Would you like to put her to bed?”

“Yeah,” Will said as he came to stand. “Let me wash up first and I’ll come get her.”

Hannibal nodded as Will turned to walk towards their bedroom. As he made his way to the en suite bathroom, something on his pillow caught his eye. Will padded towards his side of the bed and with a wide grin reached out and pulled the sketch closer. In his mate’s familiar lines and shadows was a rendition of their daughter happily playing with a stack of blocks, her plump cheeks pulled back to showcase a toothy smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Labos nakties, mano mažasis // Good night, my little one.


	13. Bonus Chapter: The Special Day, Part Two

“It’s just you and me today, baby girl,” Will said as he finished dressing Bernadette in her long blue top and ruffled shorts made to look like a dress. “What should we do?”

The baby babbled to herself as Will finished getting her outfit in place before picking her up and setting her on her feet on the floor of the nursery. She had only just steadied herself before she took off in a waddle towards the main room, her favorite stuffed dog clutched in her hand.

“Are you ready for some breakfast?” Will asked as he walked after her.

Bernadette came to a halt in the main room in front of a large wooden chest that held her ever-growing stash of toys and bent to open it with a large grunt of effort. She reached inside and pulled out several colorful scarves, flinging them around with short jerks of her arms. As Will came to sit on the floor next to her, he felt a familiar vibration in his pocket.

He took a thin, green scarf from Bernadette and laid it over the top of her head, smiling as she giggled and reached to take it off. As she worked, Will pulled his phone out of his pocket.

_Did she eat her breakfast?_

Will smirked as he started to type out his response; it was a flimsy attempt at masking that the omega was nervous not being around their daughter.

Hannibal hadn’t spent more than an hour away from her since she had been born. 

_You said you’d try._

Will let out a puff of breath as he hit “send”; he knew how badly Hannibal had missed hunting and he wanted to make sure that he was able to enjoy it as much as he could, without worrying over being away from Bernadette.

It was silly to suppose that it would have been that simple. After all, nothing in their lives was as it once had been.

Will looked at the screen as a new message came in.

_I have. Please, is she well?_

Will smiled as he responded. In front of him, Bernadette had seemed to lose interest in her scarves and was now pawing for the device in her father’s hand.

_She is. I’m making her breakfast now. She woke up happy. Bring us home something tender._

Will watched the digital ellipsis pulse for a while before they disappeared as Hannibal had ultimately decided not to respond further. The alpha hoped he would now be able to focus on what he had set out to do.

“Okay, baby girl,” Will said as he came to his feet with a small groan. “It’s time for breakfast.”  
  
Will picked her up and carried her over to her highchair in the kitchen, strapping her into it before moving to the refrigerator.

“French Toast sounds good,” he suggested. “What do you think?”

The baby babbled a response as Will gathered the ingredients and lit the burner under the skillet on the stove top.

“This was always a special treat for me growing up,” he added. “And I think today is a special day.”

Bernadette watched as Will cracked the eggs into a bowl and whisked them before coating some bread Hannibal had made the day before into the mixture and tossing it on the sizzling pan. When everything was ready, he plated her a small portion and then pulled a bowl from the fridge.

The alpha took a moment to re-fluff the whipped cream before he placed a little dollop on top of her French Toast. Before he put the bowl back in the fridge, he placed a tiny drop on her nose, smiling as she immediately laughed.

“Let’s go play outside today,” Will said as they finished breakfast.

After he had cleaned the kitchen, he helped Bernadette into her neon blue shoes and then picked her up and walked to the backyard of their home. It had been easy to find a location with a large area for her to run and play unobstructed - isolated as they were - and as soon as Will set her feet on the grass she took off in a wobbly run.

Will let her get a little ways ahead of him before he gave chase, exaggerating his movements and making his footsteps as loud as he could.

Bernadette shrieked as she ran from him, the slight sound of her little feet on the grass completely drowned out by her laughter.

“I’m going to get you!” Will said playfully just before he reached her.

The alpha pulled her tight to his chest and swung them around in circles before he carefully came to his back on the ground with Bernadette sitting on his chest. Will let out an exaggerated “oof” as his daughter slammed her hands down on his chest before awkwardly slipping off of him and coming back to her feet.

Will stood and immediately recognized the look on her face.

“Uh oh,” he said as he took a step back. “I’m in trouble now.”

He quickly walked backwards as Bernadette ran towards him, her chubby arms outstretched as she sought to grab him.

“Oh no, oh no!”

The baby laughed as she continued to chase after her father who ran backwards away from her. After a moment, Will pretended to trip, throwing his legs high up into the air before letting them fall hard to the grass.

He playfully screamed as Bernadette launched herself at him, her laughter having turned near hysterical.

“You caught me!” he said as he sat up. “When did you get so fast? Huh?”

He stood and caught Bernadette under her arms, swinging her around before settling her on his hip.

“Fishy!”

“Fishy?” Will repeated back to her. “Yeah? You wanna go see them?”

“Fishy!”

“Well, okay,” Will said. “Let’s go.”

The alpha plucked a blade of grass out of a blonde curl as he carried his daughter towards the lake.

They returned home in the late afternoon where Will gave her a lunch of some shredded chicken and homemade applesauce before putting her down for her nap. He used the time to tidy up the house a bit before dozing off himself, awoken about an hour later by the staticky sound of his daughter babbling through the baby monitor at his side.

He loved seeing her when she was fresh from sleep – she looked so much like Hannibal did in the morning.

Will settled her at her little wooden craft table in the living room and got her set up with a blank sheet of paper and some crayons.

“What should we draw?”

“Fishy!” Bernadette answered immediately.

“Yeah? Okay, let’s do that.”

Will sat with his legs crossed and watched as she set wax to paper. After a while of moving her arm back and forth, she looked at her father and held up the crayon in her hand.

“Dada,” she said.

“Need some help?”

Will moved to sit behind her, setting a leg on either side of her little body.

“Okay,” he said to the top of her head. “Let’s see.”

He wrapped his hand around hers and guided the crayon across the paper, moving slowly as he helped her draw the shape of a fish. They drew a couple before Will pulled back.

“Now, I’m not as good as Papa but I think that’s pretty great,” Will said to her. “You should sign it.”

Bernadette watched as her father replaced the crayon in her grip with a darker one and guided her hand to the bottom right of the paper.

Slowly, Will spelled out each letter as he moved her little fist to write them out, ending with a dramatic flourish under her name when it was done.

“A masterpiece!”

When it was time for dinner, Will took her back into the kitchen and looked deeply into her eyes after she’d settled into her chair.

“Now listen,” he began. “Not a word about this to Papa, okay? This is just between us.”

Will took her gurgle as an agreement before he headed to a cabinet and pulled a bright blue box from behind a large bottle of whisky.

“I used to love this when I was growing up,” he said.

Bernadette babbled happily to herself as Will boiled the pre-made macaroni and tore open the packet of orange powder, mixing it together with some butter and milk.

“God, that smell takes me back,” he said as he coated the pasta with it before filling one of Bernadette’s little bowls.

“Sometimes Dad would slice hot dogs up into it as well,” Will said as he placed the pasta on the tray of her highchair. “But there would be no hiding that from your mother.”

Will sat at the kitchen island across from her and watched as she stuck her fingers into the pasta and pulled it to her lips.

“It’s good, huh?”

Bernadette ignored him as she continued to eat, her chubby fingers quickly turning orange. Before he forgot, Will tore the blue box of the macaroni and cheese into as many pieces as he could manage before shoving them deep in the garbage can.

After dinner, Will bathed Bernadette and dressed her in a set of pink, footed pajamas. He poured himself a small glass of whiskey before taking to his leather recliner. Bernadette quickly climbed into his lap and grabbed for his glass.

He pulled it out of her reach and grabbed the TV remote.

“Let’s see what’s on.”

The baby watched the screen as Will flipped through channels before settling on a movie with talking animals trying to make their way home. He dimmed the lights and let his eyes close as he felt his daughter’s breathing grow heavy on his chest.

When he heard the car coming up the driveway, the determined group of animals had been reunited with their human family. Will smiled as he listened to his mate remove his shoes and coat before walking quietly into the room. He tipped his head up as Hannibal came into view over his shoulder.

“Hey,” Will said as he kissed him, his nose filling with the scent of unfamiliar blood and sweat. “Do you need help unloading the car?”

Hannibal knelt at his side and placed his hand on the back of Bernadette’s head.

“No, but I would welcome it. How was she?”

“Perfect,” Will said. “Would you like to put her to bed?”

“Very much,” Hannibal said as he leaned down to breathe in her scent. “Let me shower quickly and I’ll come get her.”

Will nodded as Hannibal walked back towards their bedroom. As the omega began to strip his clothes, he noticed something resting on his pillow. Stepping forward, he pulled the drawing of three fish to his face, smiling when he spied his daughter’s name spelled out in crayon in clumsy, broad strokes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are crazy.
> 
> I hope you all are safe and well and that this bit of fluff helps <3


	14. Bonus Chapter: The Intruders

They were pulled from sleep at the same time, both of them immediately registering the sound of a clumsy foot banging against a chair downstairs. By the time Will had swung his legs over the side of the bed, Hannibal was already up and at the threshold of their bedroom door.

He paused just long enough to ensure the hallway was clear before he moved towards the nursery with quick, silent steps.

The alpha moved out into the hall, grabbing his knife as he did; his ears were strictly attuned to the sounds of unfamiliar feet.

There were two of them.

Two betas – no doubt relying on their lack of natural scent to let them trespass unnoticed.

Perhaps had they selected the home of any other alpha and omega pair they would have been correct.

Behind him, he heard Bernadette coo as she woke under Hannibal’s attentive and strong hands. Will’s vision was slowly fading into shades of red as he thought of the two strangers currently rummaging through their home.

Their hands touching the very things that his daughter’s little hands did.

Will headed down the stairs on light feet, trying to calm himself as much as he could lest his furious scent sound the alarm. Moving in the shadows of their home, Will followed the hurried, hushed sounds to the dining room. The alpha pressed himself against the wall and peered around the corner, immediately seeing two darkly dressed figures pilfering their china from a cabinet.

He calculated his plan of attack, clenching his fists as he imagined his fingers growing slick with blood.

As he prepared to strike, he caught Hannibal’s scent on the other side of the room, stopping him in his tracks. He couldn’t see his mate, but he could sense him – he could feel the omega’s body vibrating.

Without warning, they struck at the same time.

Hannibal made it to them first, his small omega fangs sinking into one of the beta’s throat. Blood sprayed across the room as Hannibal whipped his head back, a bleeding chunk of flesh between his teeth. The beta clutched at the wound in his throat, falling to his knees with a gurgle as Will pounced on the other. The man in his hold yelled and struggled as Will retched his arms behind him and forced the beta to the ground with a knee on the small of his back.

Upstairs, Bernadette began to cry.

Will placed his knife on the nearby table with a deliberate thud.

“Shut up,” Will growled into the beta’s ear. “Shut. Up.”

The man’s cries died to whimpers, his eyes moving to the cooling body of his friend. He looked up at Hannibal and gasped, dumbstruck at the eyes which were shimmering gold.

An omega. An omega had done this.

With a smirk, Hannibal sucked the wet flesh into his mouth and began to chew, grinding the meat between his teeth until it was fine enough to swallow.

The beta in Will’s grasp was drenched in the smell of urine and fear.

“Look what you’ve done,” The alpha growled. “Listen.”

Upstairs, Bernadette continued to cry.

“For every single, second that she’s distressed, I’m going to snap one of your bones. The louder you scream, the slower I’ll go. You’ll be nothing but a twisted, broken thing when I’m done.”

The beta cried, fiercely uttering a string of apologies.

He was so sorry.

They never would have broken in had they known a child was in the house.

They thought they were both omegas.

Please just let him go.

He’ll do anything.

Please.

“Will.” 

Will looked up at Hannibal. The omega’s body was rigid and stiff, the rush of the kill leaving him and being overtaken by the sounds of their daughter crying upstairs. Will watched him approach, blood drying on his chin.

When Hannibal pushed their lips together, Will tasted pride.

“Take your time,” Hannibal whispered, pressing a hot kiss to the side of Will’s throat.

Hannibal spared the beta in Will’s grasp a fleeting smile before he headed back upstairs. He entered Bernadette’s nursery to find her standing up in her crib, her little hands grasping tightly at the wooden bars.

“Apologies, little one,” he said as he walked to her ensuite bathroom. “Just a moment longer.” 

Hannibal cleaned his hands and mouth before coming back towards the crib and picking her up, pulling her little body to his chest.

“Shh, it’s all right,” he said close to her ear. “Everything is all right.”

The omega walked across the hall – casting a glance down the stairs as he did – and moved into the bedroom. He bounced Bernadette in his arms until she began to settle.

“There now,” he said. “All is well.”

Hannibal climbed into bed and laid on his side, positioning Bernadette on her back and placing a large hand on the center of her chest. He curled himself around her and pulled an old Lithuanian lullaby from his memory, singing close to her ear to drown out the sounds of the muffled screams downstairs.


End file.
